


Visitor

by breatherepeat



Category: Bastille (Band)
Genre: Love, M/M, Randomness, Slow Burn, Touring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26437102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breatherepeat/pseuds/breatherepeat
Summary: A bed sharing story. Because touring is rough and it is nice to have a warm body with no expectations next to you every now and then.
Relationships: Kyle Simmons/Dan Smith
Comments: 114
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

“Where did everyone go?” Dan looked around as he bit his lip. They were out celebrating the last gig of their first proper tour in the States. They had the rest of the night and then a flight out the morning. 

“Your friends went back to the hotel.” The bartender smiled at him from behind the tall counter as she brushed back her long dark hair off her shoulder. They were in the States, but her accent did not read American. Her smile increased as Dan's face went flat. “They said you would pay.”

“Yes, I will pay.” Dan reached for his wallet and cursed his mates in his head. It was still early enough and they didn’t need to be on the flight until seven more hours. They could sleep when they got home. Curse him for needing to use the toilet and giving them an out. 

Dan finished his glass and signed the tab before zipping his sweatshirt and raising the hoody to cover his crazy hair. 

The night air was crisp and it hit him as he walked outside. The town they were in was loud and there were people everywhere. 

Maybe Dan could make new mates here? Surely someone would want to stay up all night with him. 

If only Dan was that person. He was not intoxicated enough to be "Social Dan."

Walking in the direction he hoped led to the hotel, Dan wrapped his arms around himself and kept his head down. It was colder than he remembered. The bar had been warm. 

“Dan!” Dan heard from behind him as he heard shoes hitting the pavement. “Wait, you idiot!” 

Kyle almost ran into him as Dan turned quickly, with Dan raising up his hands just in time to catch him before they collided. “Easy there.” 

“Why did you leave me?” Kyle pushed against Dan’s hands as he looked up at him. “I wanted another drink and the woman said the tab was closed.” 

“Sorry.” Dan wrapped his arms around himself and realized that Kyle only had on a short sleeve top. He must be freezing standing out in the crisp air. “We can go back? Or find another place?” 

“Not feeling going back.” Kyle shook his head and rubbed his hands up and down top of his arms as he bounced a bit in place. “Definitely some place inside though. I didn’t dress warm enough.” 

Dan, in what he was going to blame on his intoxicated fog, stepped in closer to Kyle and hugged him against him. 

“What you doing?” Kyle laughed into his ear, half pulling away before he allowed himself to step in closer to the warmth Dan was providing. “Oh, that hoody is warm. Lucky you, getting presents from fans.” 

“Shut up.” Dan laughed with him. “Don’t call them fans. That is disgusting. I’m saving your life here; show some gratitude.” 

“Oh, Daniel, my savior!” Kyle laughed but stayed close to him, not making any move to step away from him. “So, this is lovely and all, but are we going somewhere? Or will we just cuddle on the streets to share warmth until we need to leave for the flight?” 

Dan hugged Kyle closer for a few more seconds, breathing in the scent of him and then stepped back. Was this weird? Or were they just cold and enjoying the warmth? “Ungrateful.” 

“Fuck off.” Kyle smiled as he pushed against Dan’s chest with his hand. It wasn’t much of a push and Dan barely moved. As nice as the warmth was, the night was young and Kyle wanted to bleed as much of their time in the States as possible. “Alcohol.” 

“Alcohol.” Dan nodded his head. 

The next bar was similar to the first and they had a few more drinks before deciding the night was done. By the time they left, they were one of the only few left. All that remained were either jobless or avoiding responsibilities. 

There was no more avoiding it. 

The tour was over. 

“It was a good gig.” Kyle rubbed his arms while they walked back to the hotel. His long legs making quick progress on getting him back inside somewhere. “I miss my bed. Sleeping in a bed, actually.” 

“I don’t.” Dan said before he thought it through. If he was going to blame the cuddle with Kyle on his drunken brain, then he could with his comments as well. “Don’t want it to end. Might never happen again.” 

“Fuck all. Might never happen again.” Kyle took a break from rubbing his arms and pushed his arm against Dan as they walked. “This is a thing now. We will be back. Mark my words.” 

Dan nodded his head but he didn’t believe him. He focused instead on keeping up with Kyle's long strides. 

They were sharing a hotel room and Kyle opened the door with the card. 

The aircon was on and Dan immediately went to turn it off. 

“Thank you.” Kyle said hugging himself, his teeth were chattering in the now quiet, but freezing, room. “Why do Americans love tits cold rooms?” 

“No idea.” Dan sat on his bed and watched as Kyle stood where he was, not moving to change his clothes. “You get shy or something?”

“Too cold to move.” Kyle laughed at his joke, doing his little bounce move again. “My tits are freezing.” 

Dan laughed with him and stood before he could tell himself to stay put. “Want help?” 

“What? You going to dress me? Um? Because it has been a while since I needed help changing my clothes.” Kyle rubbed his arms harder and swayed a bit. He was no longer bouncing. “You going to be my tour mum?” 

“Fuck off with that.” Dan unzipped Kyle’s suitcase and threw some clothes on Kyle’s bed that looked warm. Turning back to him, Dan teased as he saw Kyle shaking. “I believe the words you are looking for are, ‘Thank you for buying me alcohol and helping me stay warm so I don’t freeze my tits off.’”

“Might as well add ‘Thank you for being an annoying nit and forever changing my life by being in this band.” Kyle’s voice went serious and Dan swallowed as he blushed. 

Moving toward the toilet with his own clothes, both to use it and give Kyle some privacy to change. Dan ignored Kyle’s words. That was too serious and too real. 

When he returned, Kyle was wearing the warmer clothes yet lying on the bed that Dan had claimed as his own. He was under the covers to boot.

“Wrong one, mate.” Dan stood at the end of the bed and pointed toward Kyle’s bed. “That one is yours. By the door, so they can murder you and I can have a head start at legging it.” 

“Like you could outrun anyone.” Kyle laughed and moved himself up to rest on his elbows. “The room is still freezing and I can feel it in my bones. Cuddle me for warmth or I won’t be able to sleep. Then I will be grumpy tomorrow as I freak out about flying back. Doesn't sound fun for anyone. Do it for the sake of your mates.” 

“Have you always been this needy?” Dan threw his old clothes in the direction of his suitcase and turned off the main light before lying on the bed. The lamp between the beds were still on but it didn’t prepare Dan for Kyle moving in close to him. “Hello there.” 

“You are warm.” Kyle wrapped an arm around Dan’s back and cuddled up close to him. “It isn’t weird if we don’t make it weird.” 

Dan could smell the alcohol on Kyle’s breath and he knew that Kyle could likely smell his own. Still, drunk or not, they had never done this before. 

“Don’t overthink it.” Kyle’s hand moved up to brush back the hood from Dan’s head and then it moved right back to the small of Dan’s back. Kyle’s legs were touching his legs. “I’m not in love with you or anything.” 

“Noted.” Dan nodded his head and found Kyle looking at him. “What?” 

“You in love with me or something?” Kyle grinned as he moved his legs in closer. In Kyle’s defense, even his legs were cold to the touch. “This going to be weird in the morning?” 

“No.” Dan shook his head and found his arm moving around Kyle’s back, pulling him in closer to him. Kyle was still shaking and Dan tucked the blanket over them. “Better?” 

“Better.” Kyle nodded his head but continued to shake against him. “It wouldn’t be so bad though.” 

“What wouldn’t be so bad?” Dan rested his hand on the small of Kyle’s back, feeling Kyle’s cold hand move underneath his sweatshirt. 

“If we loved each other.” Kyle’s eyes were closing with his words. Sleep and alcohol making his lips loose. “Right?” 

“No. It wouldn’t be so bad.” Dan agreed as he watched Kyle’s eyes open slightly and then close for the evening. It had been forever since Dan was this close to anyone for this long. “Sleep well.” 

Kyle sighed and moved in closer to Dan in his sleep. Their bodies settling into each other and the bed.

Thankfully, Dan had enough alcohol in his system to sleep and not spend their short hours before the alarm went off analyzing why it felt so natural to cuddle up to Kyle to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

“I am so…” Kyle’s voice trailed off and Kyle lost his thought as they made their way down the hotel hallway. His feet felt heavy and he was glad that they finally made it back to their room. 

Dan wondered if Kyle did not know what he was or if he was too much of whatever it was to finish the sentence. But then his brain hurt because a drunk brain was not a thinking brain. 

They were following the success of Pompei around the world. And thankfully, they had one whole night off and a hotel stay. Dan was sure that they were in the States, but he had no idea which one. Didn’t matter anyway, because tomorrow they flew out to another country and then they would be back to another state. 

Tour buses, actual tour buses and not vans, were amazing, but sleeping in the small bunk night in and day out wasn’t the best for any of their sleep. Sure the bus changed, but the size of the bunks never did. 

Following a night on the town, and multiple drinks to celebrate each new stop that night, Dan and Kyle were back at the hotel. They had just said goodnight five doors down to their sound tech and a lovely lad that sold their merch. 

Woody and Will had tapped out about an hour ago. And their tour manager was still out there somewhere. They had lost him as they made their way back to the hotel. He had his misses with him and everyone wanted him to have as much fun as possible while she was still around. He had been getting a bit cranky. 

Much as it were, Dan and Kyle always seemed to find themselves sharing a room. 

Dan scanned the card and elbowed Kyle’s arm as he opened the door. Kyle was leaning against the wall near the door with his eyes closed and Dan was not waiting for him long or he would just leave him in the hallway. 

“Eyes open. Arse in.” Dan laughed as Kyle pushed him back and groaned as he had to move. “Come on, a real bed tonight.” 

“Dan, I am intoxicated.” Kyle leaned back against the door to the room, thankfully on the right side of it. Opening one eye, Kyle confirmed that he was in fact in the room and not stood in the hallway. “Don’t try to make sense with me.” 

Dan laughed to himself and moved to his suitcase for a change of clothes. He turned to declare the toilet his first, however, right as he did, he heard the door to the toilet shut behind Kyle. 

“Wanker!” Dan shouted to him and kicked off his shoes. He would change and then use the toilet. It was late and he wanted to take full advantage of having a proper bed to sleep in. 

Kyle walked out of the toilet slowly and asked, “Is the room spinning for you? Or is this a lovely side effect that only I get to enjoy?” 

“Just you, mate.” Dan slapped the top of Kyle’s arm as he walked past him in haste. His bed was calling to him. 

Kyle changed his clothes and tried to keep his head steady. The room was spinning more and Kyle needed to find a stationary spot soon. 

Kyle sat on the bed closest to the door, knowing that Dan liked the one furthest away from the door. Too many horror films racing through Dan’s mind at night. 

“We don’t have to leave tomorrow until later. We can sleep in.” Dan walked past Kyle and saw that Kyle did not appear to be well. “You alright?” 

“Yes?” Kyle answered but he was not sure. The room was still moving and Kyle knew he needed to lie down on the bed, but he didn’t want to move yet. Or maybe he couldn’t? He had been still since he sat on the bed. 

“Sleep it off.” Dan turned off the aircon before wrapping himself up in the blankets. The room was a bit chilly and Dan’s brain went back to the hotel stay where he slept in the same bed as Kyle. 

They slept soundly and the next day it was as if it never happened. No discussion or awkwardness. Simply mates sharing a bed and nothing more. 

“Dan?” Kyle asked as he opened his eyes and found that Dan was turned away from him and curled up in his blankets. There was a lamp turned on between the beds and it hurt his eyes. 

“Yes?” Dan answered as he let out a slow yawn. Hopefully Kyle would turn the lamp off and go to sleep as well. Unless he was going to move into the bed with Dan. That he needed to decide quickly because Dan was going to sleep. 

Kyle stood up and willed his body to stay steady as he turned off the annoying light. 

Kyle hesitated as the room grew dark. He felt ill and he did not want to sleep on his own. And he was cold. Kyle hated the cold. Would Dan mind? Could they do what they did a few months ago?

“Kyle?” Dan turned in the bed and his eyes adjusted to the darkness in the room. Kyle was stood between the bed and watching him, at least from what he could tell. “You going to be sick?”

“No.” Kyle was fairly sure that he was not going to be sick. Swallowing and wishing the room to stop moving, he asked, “Can I sleep with you? Like in the bed with you?” 

Dan thought about how nice it was to have Kyle in his bed last time. Kyle was freezing at first, but grew warmer with their shared heat. It was nice to have a body next to him. Wrapped up in him with no expectations. 

“Never mind me.” Kyle turned to his bed. It was stupid of him to ask. And he obviously put Dan in an awkward position because he didn’t even respond to him. “Goodnight.” 

“Kyle, get over here.” Dan grinned and laughed as Kyle abandoned moving into his own bed and turned to Dan’s again. Dan moved his arm out to open up the blankets and settled them once Kyle was near him. 

Kyle closed his eyes and pressed himself into the warmth of Dan and the multiple blankets around them. The room was slowing down and Kyle felt like he would be able to make it through the night now. Kyle knew that was dramatic but he was drunk so it didn’t matter. 

“Better?” Dan asked as he felt Kyle’s body ease into the bed. Dan moved his arm across Kyle’s back and closed his eyes. Kyle was warm already and the chill in the air was gone. 

“Better.” Kyle gave a slight nod and buried his head into the pillow, his arm moving around Dan's back. He was already better just by lying down and having Dan to anchor himself in the room. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Dan closed his eyes and let out another yawn. Sleeping was calling him and now with someone near him, Dan knew he was going to have a great rest. “Goodnight, Kyle.” 

“Night.” Kyle sighed and felt sleep taking him. For about three seconds, Kyle was awake enough to wonder why they didn’t do this more often. 

****

Kyle stretched his legs out and sighed as he felt himself waking up. He was a bit too warm but it was nice. 

As he became more aware, he realized he was in bed with someone else. Their breathing slow and even near his head. 

He hoped against all hope that he did not find his way into a random person’s bed last night. 

He remembered alcohol and many different locations. He remembered their free time with a hotel stay. 

Feeling a massive sense of relief, Kyle realized he was in bed with Dan. 

Good. Now he didn’t have to have an awkward phone call with the woman he had been seeing back home. Dan was a mate and there was nothing wrong with sleeping in the same bed as a mate. 

Dan stretched out his legs and felt his body waking up. His head hurt from last night, but it was manageable. 

And there was a foot touching his own. 

Opening his eyes to confirm, Dan found Kyle looking back at him. 

“Morning, sunshine.” Kyle grinned and felt the dryness in his mouth. His head had the constant ache of drinking too much the night before and not drinking enough water before bed. And, because he was a dick, he ran his foot up Dan’s calf. “Money is on the table.” 

“Fuck off.” Dan laughed and wished he had drank more water before bed. Dan pushed away Kyle's foot with his own. Turning to lie on his back, he moved some of the covers off them and felt more of the cooler air around them. “What time is it?” 

“Not early enough that our alarms went off.” Kyle laughed to himself remembering Dan setting three of them on his mobile and then making Kyle set another three for later. It was best to go with Dan when he got neurotic like that. “All, what, six of them that you insisted upon?”

“Sorry for being the responsible one.” Dan side eyed Kyle from his new position on his back. He was hungry and thirsty and definitely needed a shower. Kyle’s hair was a mess from sleeping and he was still watching Dan as Kyle laid on his side. “I’m hungry.” 

“Same.” Kyle gave a slight nod and knew they needed to get up to solve that problem. But, the bed was nice as it was one of the nicer hotel stays they have had. Dan’s hair was a mess as it lied in contrast to the white pillow underneath his head. “Quick, ring up some people and have them bring us breakfast in bed. I want extra juice.” 

“Ha, yeah.” Dan raised his hands and ignored that he brushed Kyle’s stomach in the process. They were still close together. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Dan told himself to get out of bed. He needed to use the toilet and start their day. “I call first shower.” 

“Let me use the toilet first.” Kyle surprised himself and moved out of the bed in a mad dash to the toilet. If Dan got in there first, Kyle would have to wee in one of the plastic cups meant for drinking water. Dan liked to take his time during a shower and Kyle had had to wee in a cup before. 

Dan laughed as Kyle was a blur moving to the toilet. Removing the blanket, Dan willed himself up and stretched as he stood. He would put his glasses on after the shower. 

“Don’t take forever in there.” Kyle said as he exited the room. He was hungry and feeling better now that he had moved out of the bed. “I want a shower before we eat.” 

“Will texted that if we hurry, there is a place on the corner that seems decent.” Dan nodded and turned to move past Kyle on his way to the toilet. The space was narrow enough that Dan put his hands on Kyle's arms to steady they as the moved past one another. 

“Sounds good.” Kyle said as he shuffled through his clothes. They needed washing and he told himself to remember that for when they landed next. “Go on now.” 

Dan laughed to himself as he shut the door behind him. Totally normal and natural morning. Maybe this was a thing now? Sleeping in the same bed? 

"Fucking hell!" Kyle shouted out as the first alarm started, startling him. It was Dan's and he had the volume on full blast. Shouting toward the toilet door, Kyle expressed his dislike for the alarm. "Why does it always have to be so loud?" 

Kyle heard laughing and then the water turning on as Kyle went through Dan's mobile and cancelled all the alarms. Setting it down on the table. Kyle grinned to himself with an idea. Setting an alarm for when they were going to be on the flight, Kyle assigned the most obnoxious pop sound he could think of as the sound. 

As he set down Dan's mobile for the second time, he jumped again as his first alarm went off. 

Kyle loved his life.


	3. Chapter 3

Dan knew as soon as he entered the hotel room that he was not going to want to leave. They had traveled most of the day and he was exhausted. 

Literally knackered. 

But, a hotel night typically meant going out and getting intoxicated. 

And then finding himself in the same bed as Kyle. 

It had happened at every hotel stay they had for the past four months. 

Except they always went out first and then came back to the hotel. Someone with the crew would bring their bags to their room for them. 

Tonight, Dan and Kyle decided to bring their own bags up and change out of their lounge clothes. 

“When did we say we were meeting them?” Kyle asked from his bed closest to the door. He had laid down and now he regretted allowing himself the comfort of the bed. He was knackered and wondered if maybe he could have a quick kip before going out. 

It would break their unspoken pattern, but maybe Dan and him could have their kip together? Or was alcohol needed to help the situation? 

If they napped together, could they still sleep in the same bed throughout the night? 

There were too many questions for his tired brain. 

And, it wasn’t like he could ask Dan because the unspoken rule was that they did not talk about it. 

They went out. Had a good time. And then one of them had some excuse to get into the bed with the other. They woke up and went about their business. Nothing changed outside of them sleeping in the same bed during hotel stays. 

“I dunno.” Dan let out a yawn and moved around the clothes in his bag again. His tired brain forgot what it was doing for a minute. He had more lounge clothes in his hand rather than something appropriate for going to a bar. “I think maybe ten?” 

“Does it make me an old geyser if I think going out at ten is a bit late for a hotel stay night without a gig?” Kyle raised his hands to rest behind his head as he watched Dan go through his bag again. Dan seemed to be debating with himself whether he wanted to wear more comfortable clothes or clothes we wouldn’t be self-conscious about wearing out. “Even though we are literally out way later than that when we have a gig?” 

“I dunno.” Dan laughed to himself. His brain was mush. He had an appropriate top and sleep joggers in his hand. Throwing both of them back in the bag, he turned around and found Kyle yawning as he watched him. “Maybe I want to be an old geyser tonight?” 

“We could text them that we are staying in.” Kyle said after a pause. This was breaking protocol. Would Dan sleep in his own bed if they did not have alcohol to hide behind? “I mean, if you want.” 

Dan took a full minute and then nodded his head. Reaching for his mobile, he sent a text to Will. Will hated fun and he would understand. He could share it with the rest and make it seem less weird. 

Dan was quite introverted and shy, but alcohol helped with that. 

And the longer he stayed out, the less he had to fight his brain to fall asleep. 

Dan turned the ringer to silent and walked to his bed. Sitting on the edge, he put his hands underneath his legs and looked toward Kyle. He was looking back at him. 

“I told them.” Dan said slowly. “That we weren’t, like, going out tonight.” 

“Okay.” Kyle nodded his head and looked toward the ceiling. There was a darkened spot over his head that made Kyle wonder if he would wake up to water leaking on him. Maybe he would need to sleep in Dan’s bed. Just in case. “There is a spot.” 

“A what?” Dan was brought out of his own sleepy thoughts with Kyle’s voice. Dan was going through all the possible reasons why he needed to sleep in Kyle’s bed to find the best one. “What’s that?” 

“Above the bed.” Kyle moved one of his arms out from underneath his head and pointed toward the ceiling. “Think it leaks from there?” 

“I thought we were doing well.” Dan laughed as he leaned forward to look up at the spot above Kyle’s head. That wouldn’t do for sleeping. If it were Dan’s bed, he would stay awake worried that he would get wet overnight. And from what? “Should we change rooms? No, we cannot do that.” 

“I could...maybe...you know...if you don’t mind?” Kyle lowered his arm and rested it on the bed, his eyes going to Dan’s bed and then to Dan’s face. “I don’t know if I can sleep here without knowing what might fall on me in the night.” 

“No. Absolutely.” Dan agreed quickly to make the awkwardness go away. Dan stood and walked to the other side of the bed. “Come on now, before something falls on you.” 

Kyle pushed himself up and closed the short distance to Dan’s bed. He took the same position on Dan’s bed as he had on his own, only closer to the edge. “Cheers.” 

“Not a problem.” Dan crossed his arms over his chest and then turned his body toward Kyle. Kyle’s eyes were on the ceiling, likely looking for more spots. Dan let out a sigh of relief when Kyle didn’t find any. 

Kyle counted to five in his head and then turned his head toward Dan. Dan was looking back at him, so he turned his body toward him so he was mirroring Dan. Willing himself to swallow the lump of awkwardness in his throat, Kyle asked, “You going to stay all the way over there? I’m cold.” 

“I could come closer.” Dan said as he moved in. There was enough space between them that it would feel unnatural to put his arm around Kyle’s back but it felt like he moved in close enough. Kyle would have to fill in the gap if he wanted more. “Your turn.” 

Kyle moved in more and felt his arm move around Dan’s lower back without his consent. They hugged each other and did random touches here and there, but they were never this close outside of the times they shared a bed. Which only seemed to be increasing rather than decreasing. 

Dan reached for the blanket near their feet and felt Kyle’s arm move down as Dan bent himself in half. There was a brief moment where Kyle’s hand pushed his bum before Kyle likely realized what was happening and it was removed. 

Dan settled the blanket around them and Kyle felt Dan’s arm move around his back. Kyle moved in a bit more so he could feel Dan’s warm breath on his lips and put his own arm back in its spot. 

That felt better. 

“I’m really tired.” Dan said as he yawned, proving his point. “Maybe I can sleep through the night. Tonight.” 

“Bunks are cramped.” Kyle said and moved his leg over, moving it against Dan’s. In their unspoken tango, this always followed the arms over their backs. It felt different without the alcohol making this easier. 

Dan nodded his head against the pillow and moved his leg in closer to Kyle’s. This was their routine. Only they skipped a massive step. Alcohol allowed for plausible deniability. 

This felt intentional. 

That was too real of a thought, so Dan closed his eyes and hoped that Kyle followed suit. 

Kyle watched as Dan closed his eyes and wished they could talk about this. It would make things so much simpler if they could agree that this didn’t mean anything. 

Mates sharing comfort and a bed. 

It was a cliche but the road was lonely. 

Dan could feel Kyle watching him so he opened his eyes to confirm. He was right. The next part of their routine involved moving in closer, maybe resting their heads together. But without alcohol, was that allowed? Kyle had shown him that he didn’t want to talk about it, so Dan waited. 

Fuck it, Kyle thought and moved in the rest of the way. If Dan had a problem with it, he would have said something by now. 

“Kyle?” Dan felt his breathing getting shorter as Kyle’s body rested against his and his forehead met Kyle’s. 

“Yes?” Kyle wondered if this was going to be the moment. The moment when they broke the unspoken rule and talked about it. 

Dan swallowed and closed his eyes. Kyle felt good against him. Solid and very human. It was weird without the alcohol but it still felt good. “Goodnight.” 

Kyle closed his eyes and brushed his foot against Dan’s. “Goodnight.” 

The next morning, it was business as usual. 

Woody made a teasing remark on how he was surrounded by old men that couldn’t handle the road. And how Kyle and Dan had been turned over to the dark side by Will. 

Thankfully, Will shot Woody down with a dry comment and all went back to normal. 

*****

“Fuck.” Kyle let out a long breath as he leaned back against the wall of the lift. They had run away from the rest of the crew because there was a bet that both Kyle and Dan were too drunk to run without being sick. “Don’t tell them, but I don’t feel right.” 

Dan gasped as he leaned forward to rest his hands on his knees. The lift started upward and Dan had to stand up before he lost the bet. “Secret is safe with me, mate.” 

Kyle grinned at that and watched as the numbers rose until their floor. 

Much like every hotel in the world, their room was freezing and Dan rushed to turn off the aircon. 

Kyle went into the toilet before Dan could demand first dibs because he needed a minute alone. It had been awhile since their last hotel stay and Kyle felt nervous for some reason. 

Quickly going about his business, Kyle stared in the mirror for longer than necessary as he washed his hands. Maybe tonight he would be brave and ask Dan what they were doing. 

Maybe. 

“Hurry up. I’m going to wee myself.” Dan pounded on the door and found a bashful looking Kyle when he opened the door. “What?” 

“Nothing. Sorry.” Kyle went to move around him but Dan went the same way. He tried to adjust himself in the other direction, but Dan went the same way as well. “Okay, quit messing with me.” 

“I’m not.” Dan said a bit too serious for the topic at hand. He felt like they needed to talk and he didn’t care if Kyle didn’t want to talk about it anymore. But first, he really needed to wee. “I will wee on you if you don’t move.” 

“Kinky.” Kyle laughed as he just avoided getting hit with Dan’s elbow by moving around the stationary Dan. 

Kyle changed over his clothes and waited on his bed. As soon as he sat down, he heard the toilet flushing and he crossed his arms over his chest. He felt very sober and wondered if tonight was the night that they spoke about it. 

Or, would they make up some excuse and avoid talking? Because at this point, it was either avoidance on Dan’s end or complete lack of insight. 

Dan was no idiot. He was avoiding it. 

Dan kicked off his shoes and pulled his top off from the back as he walked toward his bag. The effects of their night out was quickly leaving him. 

Once he was changed over to more comfortable clothes, he turned to find Kyle sat on the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. “What?” 

“We need to talk.” Kyle said quickly to get it out. If it was out there, Dan wouldn’t be able to avoid it any longer. 

Fuck, so he wanted to stop avoiding it. Good for Kyle. Dan walked to his bed in three steps and sat opposite Kyle on his bed. “Go on.” 

“We.” Kyle emphasized and lowered his arms. He felt a bit defensive in the position and he wanted to make this neutral. “I like sleeping with you. In the same bed as you.” 

Dan nodded his head and lowered his eyes to the floor. The carpet was hideous. “I like it as well.” 

“Okay then.” Kyle scratched at the back of his head. “Bedtime?” 

Dan nodded his head and moved to his side of the bed. Now that they had spoken about it, hopefully their routine wouldn’t change. As soon as he was on the bed, he felt it dip as Kyle joined him. 

Kyle laid on his side and moved the blanket up for them before his arm went around Dan’s back. 

Dan smiled into the familiar feeling and moved his legs in closer to Kyle’s as his arm found its spot around Kyle’s back. 

Kyle leaned his head against Dan’s and let out a slow breath. They spoke about it and now it could be something that was addressed. 

Later. 

Now, it was time for rest. “Goodnight, Dan.” 

“Goodnight, Kyle.” Dan moved his foot in against Kyle’s and allowed himself to sink into the bed. 

They talked about it, but nothing had to change.


	4. Chapter 4

Kyle watched as Dan opened their hotel room and went straight to the toilet. 

Dan didn’t give a quick remark about calling bibs or the like. 

In fact, Kyle hadn’t heard Dan say a word in over an hour. 

They finished a gig and had a hotel stay. Kyle was looking forward to continuing the flirting from throughout the day. 

Because Kyle had to be honest with himself now, he was flirting with Dan. 

Dan washed his hands and avoided looking in the mirror. He knew his reflection would only show him what he didn’t want to admit. 

He was upset with Kyle. 

Kyle, who had openly flirted with him all day. Little touches here and there. 

Coming up behind Dan during soundcheck and hugging him to him while whispering in his ear that he looked great on the stage. 

Having his hand linger on Dan’s upper arm during their interview. 

Handing Dan his first drink at the bar and making eye contact with him while he took his drink. 

He was flirting with him. 

And Dan liked it. 

At least until he looked up from his conversation with Coop and saw Kyle dancing with a woman. 

Kyle was smiling at her and touching her arms. 

That was supposed to be Dan dancing with him. And Kyle smiling at him. 

But, who was he to demand that? 

Kyle changed out of his clothes quickly and waited on the bed furthest from the door. 

He no longer sat waiting on the one closest to the door because he would always end up in the bed with Dan. Furthest away from the murderers. 

While they didn’t talk about it much, it was a given now that they slept in the same bed during hotel stays. 

The past six months was enough to confirm it. 

Dan walked out of the toilet and went straight to his bag. He kept his eyes down and on his tasks. 

He tensed as Kyle touched the top of his arm while he passed him. Their space was narrow between the beds and the counter; however, the touch was not needed. 

But, Dan liked it. 

Maybe too much because he was cross with Kyle and he didn’t want to like it. 

By the time Kyle left the toilet, Dan was lying on his bed. He was underneath the covers and he had his back turned to Kyle. 

That was not their unspoken routine. 

They would both enter the bed and cuddle up together. 

Face to face and leg to leg. 

Kyle would tell Dan ‘goodnight’ and Dan would tell him the same. 

Since that was the routine, Kyle decided he was getting in Dan’s bed. 

Dan felt the bed move as Kyle sat on it and moved underneath the covers to lie down. 

He wondered if Kyle thought he was going to go through their nighttime ritual?

Closing his eyes tighter, Dan pretended like he was already asleep when he heard Kyle call his name. 

Kyle stared at Dan’s back and knew he was not asleep. If he was, he would do that little breath thingy and he wasn’t. 

Kyle had slept near Dan enough on the bus and with Dan enough to know that. 

He was fooling no one so Kyle needed to also know the why. 

“Dan, I know you are not asleep.” Kyle moved in so he was within centimetres of Dan’s body. He hesitated with his hand over the blankets covering Dan from him. “Are you upset with me?” 

Kyle wondered if he had flirted too much throughout the day. Maybe Dan was not comfortable with Kyle pushing whatever the hell they were doing along? 

Dan felt childish, but he couldn’t answer him. 

Answering him made it real. 

He was upset with Kyle for flirting and dancing with that woman. 

He was jealous. 

But what did that mean? Because Kyle and him were mates. 

Just so it were, they were mates that shared a bed on occasion. 

Innocently shared a bed. 

Comfort on the lonely road. 

Nothing more. 

Right?

“If you were really asleep, you would be doing that breathing thing and you are not.” Kyle moved in more and put his hand on where Dan’s hip seemed to be. “And you wouldn’t jump if I tickled you here.” 

Kyle waited for a reaction and got nothing. 

Maybe he would have to tickle him to get his attention. 

Was that flirting a bit too much? Was Kyle crossing the clearly drawn line that went from mates to _mates_?

“You leave me no choice.” Kyle tried to keep his voice light as he made his own choice. The choice to finally cross the line and see what was on the other side. 

“Kyle, go to bed.” Dan said without humour in his voice. It was a long and confusing day. He wanted to sleep and forget it ever happened. 

Kyle clearly wanted to be mates and nothing more. The flirting was only friendly flirting. 

Kyle likely wanted to be in the bed of that woman he was dancing with. 

He could go find her for all he cared. 

Dan let out a short breath as he lied to himself and tucked his hand underneath his pillow. 

No ritual tonight. 

Kyle was struck at how much Dan seemed to be dismissing him and he was confused. He must have done something within the past hour that was upsetting Dan. Maybe it was the woman that insisted Kyle dance with her?

The one that was on some sort of hen do and was dared to ask him to dance with her. 

Kyle said he liked her spirit and wished her best wishes on the future marriage. 

After a quick dance and a photo to go in the future bride’s scrapbook, Kyle came back to the group. And found Dan avoiding eye contact with him. 

And leaving without telling anyone. 

Kyle only noticing Dan was gone because his seat was empty. 

Kyle finally caught up to him in the hotel lobby and followed Dan to their room. 

Feeling brave, Kyle decided he was either going to get a cuddle tonight or smacked. Moving in closer, Kyle wrapped his arm around Dan and cuddled into his back. 

Dan was warmth in the cold room and neither of them had turned off the aircon. 

All of their routines were thrown out the window. 

Dan felt Kyle behind him and the arm around his chest. Kyle was warm and his breath was light on the back of his neck. Like during soundcheck when he was flirting with him.

Maybe Kyle wanted to be in that woman’s bed, but he was in Dan’s. 

And cuddled up against him. 

Breaking all the rules. 

The rituals. 

Dan sighed and moved his hand to cover Kyle’s hand on Dan’s chest. 

Maybe things needed to be broken up?

Maybe it wasn’t just friendly banter between them?

Maybe the rituals were too strict?

“Goodnight.” Kyle said into the night and hoped against hope that Dan was okay with this break in their unspoken routine.

Dan’s hand pressed against him more and Kyle heard, “Goodnight, Kyle.” 

__

__

*******

Dan wasn’t in bed when Kyle woke up. 

Dan’s bag was not in the room. 

Maybe that clear line was drawn for a reason? 

Kyle let out a frustrated groan and threw the covers off himself. 

What the hell was he doing?


	5. Chapter 5

“Dan, wait!” Kyle shouted down the hotel hallway. Thankfully it was mid-day and he wasn’t all that concerned about disturbing people. 

Dan had gotten off the bus and went straight into the hotel without waiting for anyone. 

During their lobby meeting, Dan took the hotel key to Will’s room and went in that direction without a word as well. 

Will pointed toward Dan’s retreating form and asked Kyle what that was all about. 

Kyle didn’t have an answer because every hotel stay had Kyle and Dan in the same room. Everyone had their pairing by now and Dan was throwing everything off. 

Dan opened the door before Kyle could reach him, but Kyle’s long arm caught it before it closed and Kyle made his way inside. 

Dan turned to see Kyle in the small corridor of his room and shook his head. Taking out one earbud, Dan found Kyle’s eyes. “No. You have the wrong room. I’m with Will.” 

Dan had left early from their room during the last hotel stay. 

Kyle had thrown off their routine and Dan had a dream. 

A very detailed and vivid dream. 

For the past week, anytime Dan looked in Kyle’s direction, he had a flashback to the dream. 

Of Kyle’s lips on his skin. 

Kyle’s hands on his body. 

When Dan woke from the initial dream, he had been hard and he needed to get away from Kyle as soon as possible. 

There was no way he could sleep in the same bed as him now. 

Not when Kyle only wanted to be mates. 

And dance with other women. 

It had just been one, but it was enough for Dan’s brain to distance himself from Kyle. 

And the dream where Kyle had him come with his mouth. 

They needed distance. 

“Maybe I don’t want to sleep with Woody.” Kyle grinned to make the topic seem lighter than it was given the pensive look Dan was giving him. “He is too short to cuddle proper. You fit my body better.” 

Kyle saw Dan go pale from his words and he wondered if maybe it was time to be honest with Dan. To tell him he wanted more. 

That he didn’t want to be only a visitor in Dan’s bed. 

That cuddling with Dan felt right. 

And that more and more he imagined what it would be like to kiss him. 

He would leave out the wanks in the shower when Kyle thought about what Dan’s skin would taste like underneath his lips. 

Dan felt the room getting warmer despite the cold air blasting from the vents. Kyle didn’t know what he was doing to Dan with his words. 

The teasing. 

It was making Dan want more. 

Making him want to know if it would feel as good if he came from Kyle’s mouth as it had in the dream. 

If Kyle’s mouth would taste as sweet. 

“No take backs.” Because Dan was five years old and not a fully functioning adult that could express his feelings. 

“No take backs?” Kyle giggled and rested his hand on Dan’s forearm as he stepped in closer. He had missed touching Dan. 

It felt like ages since the last hotel stay. 

And Dan had been avoiding him. Sitting away from him during meetings and interviews. 

Kyle had not been able to get his fix of the small touches throughout the day. 

Kyle’s hand was warm and felt heavy on his arm. Kyle was close enough now that Dan could do it. 

He could find out what Kyle tasted like. 

All he needed to do was be brave and move in a bit more. 

Dan’s eyes blatantly went from Kyle’s eyes to his mouth. And stayed there. 

Like they held some secret that Dan needed to know. 

Kyle wondered what Dan would do if he moved in closer. 

If he made it so Dan kissed his lips and knew all his secrets. 

Dan felt good underneath his hands. 

What would he feel like against his lips?

Dan let out a short breath and stepped in closer. Kyle’s eyes followed him and then moved to his lips. 

Was Kyle thinking the same thing? 

What would he do if Dan kissed him? 

Pull him close? 

Push him away? 

Never speak to him again?

“Do it.” Kyle broke the tension in the room. He wanted Dan to know that he knew and he was okay with it. 

That he wanted to kiss him just as bad as Dan appeared to want to kiss him. 

Dan took another step in and felt Kyle’s hand move from his forearm. Leaning in a bit more, Dan closed his eyes. 

Kyle swallowed his breath and moved in. Kyle kept his eyes open right until the last moment. He wanted to see for himself that Dan would go through with it. 

Dan felt the lightest touch of their lips and then the lock on the door releasing with a loud sound. 

Kyle jumped back just as he felt Dan’s lips on his own and ran into the door that was opened into him. 

Dan jumped in the other direction and turned away from the door. Busying himself with something on the other side of the room. 

“Kyle.” Will said from the other side of the door. The door was half open, with the bottom hitting the heel of Kyle’s foot. “One does not stand in the way of a door, blocking entrance. That is rude. Kindly move yourself." 

“Fuck off.” Kyle let out a weak laugh as he moved further into the room. He wanted to leave, but Will was blocking his exit. 

Dan watched the exchange between Will and Kyle from his spot near the window. The furthest away from Kyle that he could be in the room. 

Kyle looked as flustered as Dan felt and Dan was worried that Will was going to put two and two together. Unfortunately, Will knew maths and the room was a solid four. 

“What are you lot up to that you both look like you nicked something?” Will said in his flat tone as he looked between Dan and Kyle. “Anything good?” 

“Kyle was telling me about an idea for a song.” Dan said before he knew what he was talking about. His eyes were on the floor and he was struck by how horrible the carpet looked. 

“Oh.” Will accepted it with little explanation. Not that he cared anyway. 

“I’ll go now.” Kyle said to no one in particular. Turning toward the door and opening it, Kyle looked over his shoulder and caught Dan looking at him. 

He must have felt it as well. 

That spark between them. 

“See you tonight.” Dan said without his voice breaking. Dan was proud of himself for being able to speak at all given Kyle’s eyes on him at the door. 

“Cannot wait.” Kyle grinned at him. He liked this flirting thing. “I’ll tell you more about my idea. You know, for the song?” 

“Okay.” Dan nodded and hugged his arms to his chest. Despite him standing in the open door, Kyle was not leaving.

“Bye now.” Will said as he snorted. “Not like you don’t see each other only every fucking day.” 

Dan grinned to himself as the door shut. 

He very much wanted to hear about Kyle’s ideas for the song. 

Kyle smiled as he walked away. Oh, the ideas he needed to tell Dan about the song. 

****

“Dan.” Dan heard someone say his name but his attention was on his mobile. Kyle was not here and he did not see a text from him. Maybe he had panicked at the kiss and he wasn’t coming. 

Dan’s brain went back to the dream and how Kyle’s skin had a sheen of sweat on it. 

“Dan.” Dan looked up from the repeated attempt at his attention and found Kyle walking in. Dick was next to Dan and saying his name, but Dan’s eyes followed Kyle. 

Kyle went to the bar and appeared to be ordering his drink. 

If Dan didn’t know any better, he would say that Kyle had picked one of his smarter outfits for tonight. 

Was he trying to impress him? 

“Dammit, Dan.” Dan turned to find Dick staring at him. He didn’t look happy. Dan wondered how long he had been ignoring him to get that face in return. 

“Sorry.” Dan swallowed and felt his eyes move to the bar without his knowledge. Kyle was still ordering and talking with the bartender. 

She looked nice and Dan found he hated her. 

“Nevermind.” Dick shook his head as he turned to talk to another crew member. 

Dan was sat at the end of the table and he had saved a seat for Kyle. He just needed to get away from the slag bartender and find his spot next to Dan. 

Kyle smiled at the bartender and hoped he would get a free drink in exchange for her attention. She was telling him how much she loved his accent and Kyle knew he could play this up a bit more. 

With his free drink in hand, Kyle turned to where he had seen Dan sat and found a pained look on Dan’s face. 

Dan looked nice in his fresh top. He appeared to have made an attempt with his hair as well. 

“Hi.” Kyle sat in the empty seat near Dan. Dan was pulling hard on the napkin in his hand, making small piles of fluff in its wake. “Sorry I’m late.” 

Dan shook his head to clear it and pointed toward the bar. “She seemed to be interested in you. You going to pursue that?” 

Kyle stopped drinking midway and lowered his glass. “Why would I do that?” 

“She seems nice.” Dan said as he thought in his head ‘for a slag.’ Normally, he wouldn't use such language to describe someone but he couldn't help himself. “Maybe she could cuddle you tonight. Or more.” 

“Nah.” Kyle leaned in closer but kept a plausible distance between them given their very public setting. “I have my eyes on someone else. Wondering if I can put something else on them. Again.” 

Dan looked to the pile of shredded napkins on the table and wished he didn’t have an empty drink. More alcohol would be nice, but he couldn’t talk to the bartender. And he was not sending Kyle anywhere near her either. 

“I would like that.” Dan said to the pile despite Kyle being right there. Dan’s mind flashed between the spark of their kiss and the dream. “I mean, I liked that. Before.” 

Kyle moved his foot in closer to Dan’s and kept it resting along the long edge. With the hand furthest away from view of others, he moved it to Dan’s knee and squeezed it. “I’m pleased. When can we do it again?” 

Dan mentally kicked himself for picking Will’s hotel key. He couldn’t change rooms now without everyone making a big deal about it. 

Kyle felt Dan stressing next to him and squeezed his knee more as he said his plan. “Come to my room. Leave first and I will follow. We have ages before they come back.” 

“Okay.” Dan swallowed and nodded his head. He could see Kyle’s hand on his knee and feel his foot against his own. It wasn’t enough though and he wanted more. 

The kiss had been too brief. 

Kyle moved his body and watched as Dan headed toward the toilet. No one was paying attention to him and Dan continued on to the exit. 

Kyle counted to 100 in his head and slammed his drink before heading in the same direction. 

“Kyle?” Kyle turned at Will’s voice. 

“Yes?” 

“You and Dan sort out that song?” Will said without a hint of sarcasm from his spot at the other side of the table. Little fucker knew something. “From before? You know?” 

“Kind of.” Kyle felt himself blush and he pointed toward the toilet. “Got to wee.”

“I’ll tell Woody he is with me.” Will nodded his head and looked straight through Kyle’s words. “He doesn’t need his things until morning.” 

Kyle gave him a silent nod in return and left toward the exit before he thought through what it meant that Will knew already. 

The cold night air hit Kyle on the way out and he found it was even more motivation to get back to the hotel. 

As if he needed more motivation.


	6. Chapter 6

After five minutes of waiting, Dan wondered if maybe Kyle meant that they should meet at Dan’s hotel room. 

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Dan told himself that Kyle might have took longer leaving the bar to make it look less obvious. 

After thirty minutes of waiting, Dan imagined that Kyle was flirting with the bartender and not coming back to the hotel. 

After thirty-eight minutes of waiting, Dan knew that Kyle must be hurt and lying on the pavement. 

Otherwise, Dan would hurt Kyle himself. 

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.” Kyle turned the corner to walk down the hallway of their rooms. Dan was sat on the floor near his door and Kyle could tell from three metres away that Dan was freaking out. 

As he got closer, he saw how freaked out Dan was with his hair a mess. He knew he would need to try to explain. “I was halfway here and I ran into someone that knew me. Us. But, me? That never happens. I mean, who knows this mug? So I chatted with him for a minute and then I walked into the wrong hotel. Got on the lift there and realized my mistake. Went all the way back down and the door wouldn’t open. Eventually, someone opened it by calling for it. I raced across the street and was almost hit by a van full of angry women. They all shouted at me. And now I am here. All safe.” 

“I thought maybe…” Dan let his sentence linger in the quiet hallway and took the offered hand given to him. Kyle’s hand was firm in his and it made Dan realize how much he had missed his touch over the past few days. 

Standing at his full height, Dan looked to their hands still held together and then back to Kyle’s face. He was telling the truth. Kyle rarely lied, but when he did, his right eye would twitch. 

“I promise.” Kyle took a step in closer and didn’t let go of Dan’s hand. He knew Dan must have been going through so many worst case scenarios in his head. Dan’s brain ran with anxious thoughts most of the time. “I got here as soon as I could.” 

Dan felt himself smiling and all was forgiven. Kyle couldn’t help it. He was not with some bartender. Or a drunk woman. He was here with him. 

Kyle dropped their hands to find his key card and opened the door. Kyle waited for Dan to enter first and followed him close behind. 

The room was freezing but Dan didn’t want to move to turn it off. Kyle was right behind him and if he turned, he could kiss him. 

When Dan’s brain was not going through the anxious thoughts about Kyle not showing up, it was replaying their kiss from before. 

Turning quickly to kiss him in some romantic gesture, Dan elbowed Kyle in the stomach and watched as he winced from the contact. 

“Fuck.” Kyle wheezed as he leaned forward. Dan’s elbow was hard and he swung it around with force. “Easy now.” 

“I’m sorry.” Dan leaned forward with Kyle and tried to see his face to assess for his injury. “Are you alright?” 

“Fine.” Kyle stood up and stretched back, his hand rubbing where Dan hit him. “Give me a minute and I’ll be better.” 

Dan nodded his head and turned to turn off the aircon. There was a dial on the aircon but there was no knob to turn it. The cold air was blasting into the room and Dan knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep in the room. 

Even with Kyle cuddled up close to him. 

“It’s broken.” Dan turned as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms. “Like, there is no knob. We should ring the front desk.” 

Dan told himself that the universe did not hate him and it wasn't yet another sign telling him he needed to not pursue this thing with Kyle. 

Kyle walked slowly toward Dan in a way he hoped looked like he wasn’t still in pain. “Or we could hunker down in the blankets together? Share some warmth. Oh, damn, that is freezing.” 

Kyle felt his body shivering as he came closer to the cold air blasting out of the vents. 

After Kyle rang the front desk, they said they would need to send someone from maintenance to look at it but that wouldn’t be until the morning. 

Taking the option to move to a new room, Dan took Woody’s bags and Kyle took his own to the floor above them. Dan tipped the young man that brought up the new key card and told him ‘cheers.’ The man laughed and said ‘sure.’ 

Entering the room, both of them saw that the new room had one king sized bed. 

“That okay?” Kyle asked with his bags still in his hand. He wanted to make sure they didn’t need to move again before he put them down. “I mean, not like we ever use the other bed. Unless we play that childish game of pretending like we don’t sleep in the same bed eventually anyway.” 

“We were playing a game?” Dan exaggerated his confusion as he put down Woody’s bags near the over-sized chair. “Who won?” 

“I think both of us lost.” Kyle laughed and put his bags down near Woody’s. Dan was watching him with a shy look on his face and Kyle felt his heart respond. “Or, maybe we both won. I mean, we are here now.” 

“True.” Dan ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to fix it. He had seen his reflection in the wardrobe's door and knew it was sticking up. Likely from his hand moving through it so many times while he waited for Kyle. “And, a bigger bed might be nice. Only, don’t roll over and abandon me in the night.” 

“I would have to let go of you first.” Kyle grinned and moved his hand to rest on Dan’s chest. “I don’t plan on doing that.” 

"What about Woody?" Dan realized all at once that Woody was Kyle's roommate for the evening and they went and changed rooms on him. 

"I thought we have been through this-" Kyle dodged Dan's hand hitting his chest and grinned at Dan's annoyed face from missing him. "No worries. He is staying with Will. He said it was okay. Us changing rooms. Yeah. Okay."

Dan grinned back and looked toward Kyle’s hand resting so casually on his chest. Maybe Kyle could feel how fast it was beating through his top. When he looked up, Kyle was closer yet and he could see all the speckles of light in Kyle’s eyes. There were multiple lamps on in the room and every one seemed to be picked up in Kyle’s eyes. 

“We should turn the aircon off now.” Dan blurted out because the room was too quiet and he didn’t want Kyle to actually hear his heart beating out his chest. Dan moved toward it without waiting for a response and regretted leaving Kyle’s touch. 

Kyle watched as Dan scurried away and wondered if this was going to be a theme for the night. Both of them dancing around one another. And avoiding what they really wanted. 

Once the air was off, Kyle saw Dan hesitate and wondered if maybe they should talk first. This was all a bit much and he could imagine Dan was feeling the same nerves that he was feeling. 

They had been mates for years. This would change that forever. 

“I’m nervous as well.” Kyle broke the silence in the room and took a small step toward Dan stood near the bed. It was large enough that Dan stood at one end and Kyle the other without them being near one another. “I know this will change things between us. I’m nervous, but I want to kiss you.” 

Dan nodded because words are hard. Biting underneath his lip, he took three steps toward Kyle and copied him from before. Dan’s hand rested on Kyle’s chest and Dan could feel his heart racing as well. 

It shouldn’t have, but it settled Dan a bit knowing that Kyle was freaking out as well. 

“I want to kiss you.” Dan felt himself blush and he wanted to get it over with, but he also wanted it to be good. If they kissed and it was rubbish, they would have wasted so much time. 

But the quick kiss from before had been amazing so maybe he was overthinking this. 

“Dan.” Kyle said his name like it would give Dan some permission to lean in more. When that didn’t work, he leaned in for them and hovered his mouth near Dan’s. “Your turn.” 

Dan swallowed and moved in enough that he could feel Kyle’s breath on his lips. The idea of if they kissed and they ruined a wicked friendship moved through his head. Dan shook his head to make it go away and ended up hitting Kyle with his face. 

“Fuck.” Dan felt the pain move through the side of his face and he started giggling. They were horrible at this. “I’m so sorry.” 

Kyle held the side of his face and laughed with Dan. Damn, they were horrible at this. “I didn’t know kissing you would be so dangerous to my health.” 

Dan grabbed his own stomach as he continued to laugh. “I’m so sorry. I should come with a warning.” 

Kyle nodded his head in agreement and took an opportunity. Dan was laughing and not paying attention to what he was doing. Enough that both of them were outside their thoughts. 

Moving his hands to Dan’s hips, Kyle rested them there and allowed his mouth to find Dan’s. 

Dan breathed out through his nose and stepped into the kiss. His eyes were watering from laughing but he instantly switched to sober at the feel on Kyle’s lips on his own. 

It was so much better than their almost non-kiss earlier that day. 

Kyle felt Dan breathing on him and opened his mouth seeking more. Squeezing Dan’s top, Kyle stepped in closer as he felt Dan open his mouth in response. 

Kyle wasn’t sure if he was still standing anymore because all he could feel was Dan’s lips moving against his own. 

Kyle’s lips were soft and the hair from his beard was brushing against Dan’s face. That was a pleasant sensation and before he could process it further, Kyle was opening his mouth and Dan automatically followed him. 

Dan sucked on Kyle’s bottom lip before Kyle was pushing him away. 

Fuck, did he do something wrong? 

“You alright?” Dan asked, barely able to manage his breathing. He wasn’t sure how long they kissed for, but he was way out of breath for the amount. His hands moved to Kyle’s top and he held onto the sides much like Kyle was with his shirt. 

“Yes.” Kyle nodded his answer in case he wasn’t speaking clearly. That was nice. “Why did we wait for so long to do that?” 

“Because we are mates and in the same band. Because if we fuck this up, it might mean the end of our career. Our friendship.” Dan went through the list out loud. It was a list he had added to over time. “Will and Woody would be lost without the band. Our crew would scatter. Dick, he would hate us. Our label would sue us for breach of contract. I would be living on the streets. You would-” 

Dan was cut off by Kyle’s hand covering his mouth. “Okay, that is enough. I get it. This is a stupid idea.” 

Dan nodded his head and fought the urge to lick Kyle’s hand. He wasn’t trying to be sexy, because ugh, but it felt like the natural thing to do when someone covers your mouth. If Kyle was still only a mate, he would have done it in protest. 

“I still want to do it.” Kyle felt his face darken as Dan’s eyes widened. “I mean, kiss you. Not...not that. Like, yet, you know?” 

Dan licked his hand and laughed when Kyle made a face of disgust. 

“You are horrible.” Kyle wiped his hand on his shirt and let out a snort. “What are you, like 12?” 

“No.” Dan shook his head and laughed a bit more as Kyle wiped his hand some more. “Thank goodness because teenage Dan is not something I would like to repeat.” 

“I’m going to the toilet to wash my hands.” Kyle moved around Dan to head there. He hoped they could transition to the bed soon and he figured that would move them along. 

“You do realize that the same spit on your hand is in your mouth right now?” Dan shouted to his retreating form. “Make sure to wash your mouth out as well.” 

Kyle stopped at his words and took three long strides back. Without a word, he kissed Dan and deepened the kiss further than the last one. 

Dan allowed the shock to pass through him and he kissed him back with the same amount of energy. This was going to be good. So very good.


	7. Chapter 7

“I need a break.” Dan pushed at Kyle’s waist to get Kyle to move away for him. 

After brushing their teeth and changing their clothes, Kyle and Dan had fallen into bed. It didn’t take long before their lips met again and hands started moving. 

Unlike the other times they had shared a bed, Kyle moved himself half on top of Dan while they kissed. Dan, in turn, pressed his tongue into Kyle’s mouth and it had been a wonderful blur since then. 

Kyle smirked as he moved to lie on his back. They were both breathing a bit harder and Kyle found he liked their new arrangement. 

Turning his head to face Dan, Kyle kept the smirk on his face as he found Dan looking back at him. Dan’s lips were kiss bitten and a lovely shade of pink. He never thought the colour of Dan’s lips would be so enticing. 

“What?” Dan asked innocently. Dan believed he knew why Kyle was smirking so much, but he wanted to play it off. Fuck, his lips looked wet and used. So wonderfully used. Dan kept the innocent expression on his face while he continued to breathe in the oxygen he had been deprived of due to those wonderful lips. 

“I like kissing you.” Kyle tracked Dan’s eyes to his mouth and laughed. They were hopeless with this new obsession. “You are staring at my lips. You like kissing me.” 

Dan gave a slight nod of his head and then moved so he was on his side and properly facing Kyle. Resting on his elbow, he towered above Kyle. Using his free hand, Dan moved his finger to Kyle’s chest and slowly traced it down as Kyle breathed. 

“What are you doing?” Kyle lost his smug look as he alternated between Dan’s face and his finger. Dan’s hand was nearing his stomach now and he was curious if their night was going to go in a new direction. 

Kyle wasn’t opposed to more but he wanted to make sure they didn’t fuck this up. Whatever this was, was too good to end by rushing through it. 

“I’m not sure.” Dan answered honestly as his finger stopped at the waist of Kyle’s joggers. They were loose and Dan had the realization that his hand was very close to Kyle’s dick. 

Dan’s mind flashed to his dream and he found himself speaking before his brain could inform his mouth to shut up. “I had a dream about you.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Kyle’s grin returned and he moved himself so he was mirroring Dan, resting his weight on his right side. “Was it good? Was I naked?” 

“Stop.” Dan felt his face flush and he wanted to hide, but he also wanted to stay right where he was because Kyle was right there. The lamps in the room allowed Dan to fully see Kyle’s face. 

Dan already loved Kyle as a best mate and band brother. Was there more there? 

“No.” Kyle teased, leaning forward to give Dan a quick peck on his mouth. “Tell me all about this dream. I want all the sexy details.” 

“It’s embarrassing.” Dan bit underneath his lip and found his eyes moving down Kyle’s body without his consent. Kyle had been very naked in the dream. As was Dan. 

“I will tell you mine if you tell me yours.” Kyle offered. Dan’s eyes were on him and Kyle knew he wanted to share. Like a lot of things in Dan’s life, sometimes he needed a gentle push. 

“You had a dream about me?” Dan’s eyes quickly moved to Kyle’s face and he swallowed a large gulp of air. Kyle never mentioned a dream. Kyle barely talked about anything related to what they were doing. 

To be fair, neither had Dan. 

“More like a daydream?” Kyle offered as he kissed Dan’s cheek and then his ear. Whispering into it, Kyle continued. “It was in the shower.” 

Dan used the hand that was still resting on Kyle’s stomach to push against his chest. Kyle wasn’t prepared for it and fell backwards. Thankfully, the bed was large enough that he did not fall off it by the force. 

“I’m sorry.” Dan felt panic that he messed everything up. He didn’t know why he pushed him that hard and he hoped he didn’t hurt him. “Are you okay?” 

“Full transparency, you did not do that in my daydream.” Kyle laughed after the initial shock wore off. Dan’s face showed that he did not mean to react the way he did and Kyle knew him well enough to know that Dan could barely hurt a fly. “You were naked. Was I naked? In your dream?” 

Dan found himself nodding and watching as Kyle moved back to him. Kyle moved with ease and Dan wanted to know if he could take off Kyle’s shirt. Or if that was going faster than they wanted. 

“Was I touching you?” Kyle moved in closer to Dan than before and asked the question as he felt Dan’s eyes moved toward his lips. Oh. “Or were my lips touching you? My mouth?” 

Dan nodded again because he liked to tell the truth. And with Kyle this close to him, he could feel his breath on his lips and it was luring him in more. Half in a daze, Dan’s mouth betrayed him again. “You were sucking me. Your mouth was on me. There.” 

Kyle nodded in understanding and moved his free hand to Dan’s waist, moving his hand underneath Dan’s shirt and pushing it upward. “Was I good? Rate me out of 7.” 

Dan’s smile broke the daze he was under and he felt like he could speak freer. Deciding to flirt with him a bit, Dan said with a serious face. “You were decent. I would say, like, 5?” 

“A 5?” Kyle laughed and moved so Dan was underneath him again. At this angle, his hand could move up Dan’s torso more and he was dangerously close to his nipple. “Why so low?” 

“Because.” Dan felt Kyle’s fingers brushing along his nipple and he shuddered at the sensation. It had been ages, literal ages, since he had been touched in such a way. His body betrayed him and he closed his eyes briefly as he willed himself not to respond like he did in the dream. 

The one in which Dan had came with Kyle’s mouth on him. 

“Because.” Kyle said, dragging the word out as he continued to brush his fingertips against Dan’s chest. He played special attention to the raised bump and found he could control Dan’s eyes with his touch. With the right amount of pressure, he could make Dan’s eyes close. “What could have I done better? In this dream?” 

“Bite more.” Dan moaned as Kyle’s fingers squeezed at his nipple. 

“Like this?” Kyle moved his head forward and pushed Dan’s shirt out of the way to bite at his nipple. Dan’s chest moved out and Kyle had his answer. Kissing where he bit, Kyle grinned as he moved back. “We need rules for this?” 

Dan let the words settle into the room before he answered. Kyle’s hand had moved back to his stomach. A more neutral place to touch, but it was still nice. “Yes. Keep your promises. I told you mine.” 

Kyle decided it would be beyond the point to argue that he essentially had told Dan’s dream through his questions. That didn’t matter right now. “I was in the shower. And I was wet and a bit lonely. I thought of you pressed against me and then I could picture you there. With me. Also wet. It was your hand on me.” 

“Rate me out of 7.” Dan managed to get out before closing his eyes and finding Kyle’s arm with his hand. He wanted to touch him so he did.

“Your hand was a 5.” Kyle nodded his head. Moving his hand down Dan’s stomach to his waistband, Kyle rested it there. “If it were your mouth, I would have given you a 7. Full stop. I am a firm believer in providing good ratings for future motivation.” 

Dan closed his eyes and found their topic of conversation to be a bit much. He felt himself responding and he was not wanting that yet. 

Yet. 

Kyle smiled as he watched Dan close his eyes and his face tense. This fun flirting bit was nice, but talking of furthering it along might be a bit premature.

“Kyle?” Dan asked once he felt Kyle’s hand move away. 

“Yes?” Kyle rested his hand on the bed as he watched Dan open his eyes. 

Dan, wonderful and amazing Dan. 

“Kiss me?” Dan said and instantly smiled into the kiss as Kyle answered him as soon as he was done speaking. 

They had only been kissing for that night, but their lips moved together well. 

Maybe because of their friendship. 

The friendship they were massively jeopardizing by engaging in such behaviour.

Kyle return to his previous position, with his chest pressed against Dan's but their lower half separated from each other. That seemed best for now.

Because for now, Dan was letting out little moans underneath him as their tongues met and moved together.

Dan moved his hand to Kyle's back and pressed him in closer as their kiss deepened. Whatever this was, Dan was looking forward to where it led.

Kyle was the one to push Dan away the second time, also claiming he needed to breathe. "Why is this so intense?" 

"Because we are mates? Or because we already love each other? I mean, not like that, but as mates and family?" Dan voiced his thoughts and realized how messed up the last bit was as he heard himself say it. "I mean, not like, actual family. I don't kiss my actual family. I mean, I do. My mum. But, not, you know? Fuck, stop me from talking." 

"Maybe we should sleep?" Kyle asked as he smiled through Dan's rambling. He knew that Dan was nervous and his mouth moved before his brain processed what he was saying when he was nervous. Kyle was quite similar in that regard. But, for whatever reason, Kyle was not as nervous about this as Dan. "We could cuddle in this wonderful bed and forget the rest of it exists? Just for now."

"Okay." Dan nodded his head and waited for Kyle to move so they were face to face. Or that Kyle would spoon him from behind. He was shocked when Kyle lowered his head to Dan's chest and squeezed him around his ribs. Dan looked down to Kyle's dark hair and found Kyle's face was hidden from his view. "What about the lights?"

"You should have thought about that before we got into bed." Kyle let out a soft sigh and pressed his head into Dan's chest. He liked it here. "Goodnight, Dan."

"Goodnight, Kyle." Dan repeated out of habit and closed his eyes, his own head resting more into the pillow. He hoped sleep found him because his thoughts were racing through his head. Sleep might be the only thing to turn them off.

"It's okay, you know." Kyle spoke into Dan's chest, his eyes still closed. He knew that Dan was likely panicking and he wanted to let him know it was going to be fine. "Whatever this is, it is not going to change anything. Whether this is just a laugh or more, we will be okay. We love each other enough as friends to never let something bad happen. Okay?" 

"Yes." Dan agreed and told his brain to shut up and enjoy this. There was a lot to enjoy and he wanted to soak up as much of it as possible. Just in case.


	8. Chapter 8

Kyle was confused. 

Were they only allowed to kiss and cuddle and be sweet on one another when they were in a hotel room? 

Or, given the incredibly shitty day that he was having, could he kiss Dan without a hotel stay and it wouldn’t be something that either of them batted an eye at? 

The city they were in was cold and rainy. Much like their home country, but this was America! It was supposed to be sunshine and bright skies. 

And Kyle received word from his mum that his grandmother was ill. Not seriously ill, but given her advanced age, Kyle was worried for her. 

And it emphasized to Kyle that he missed his family. His job was amazing and never something he thought would ever be a possibility for him, but he was missing out on major life events back home. 

So he was a bit blue and blah and he wanted a kiss and a cuddle. 

Dan was busy talking to someone from the venue about something that Kyle honestly did not care about at the moment. 

Dan was cute when he talked to “official” people. He used his hands when he spoke and he was passionate about what he wanted. But, he was also kind and nice to them. People tended to love working with him for that reason. He knew what he wanted and he was able to tell people in a way that was helpful. 

Dan felt Kyle’s eyes on him and his thought left him. He was talking to the sound engineer for the building and giving them information about the show. Normally he would let the sound techs speak with the venue people, but he had heard about a possibility of doing something a bit different and he wanted to see if it was possible. And, even Dan would admit that he was very hands-on with anything related to the band. It was easier to direct someone than worry about how it was going to happen. 

It had been over two weeks since their last hotel stay. 

Since the last time that they kissed and slept in the same bed together. 

Dan knew that Kyle wanted to keep their, whatever it was, confined to hotel rooms but Dan wanted to see if maybe Kyle would break that unspoken rule. 

If only they could sit down and talk about this, get some rules in place. Open communication and allow them both to figure this out. 

But, Kyle did not bring up the topic. To be fair, neither had Dan, but for whatever reason, Dan was waiting for Kyle for that step. 

And, Dan was busy with the band and organizing ventures. Or at least talking to people about what he wanted and how what people were offering them could work. 

And finalizing an album that was in demand. 

Dan was busy. 

But he also missed their quiet moments in bed and the touches that both seemed to enjoy. 

Kyle and Dan together in those moments were very relaxed and calm. 

Well, outside of the moments they were breathing hard against one another and fighting for dominance of the kiss. 

Both seemed to like to fight for dominance, but both also liked to give into the other. 

Dan finished up the conversation with the engineer and thanked them for their help. 

Kyle was half listening to Will go on about something or another while Kyle scrolled through his phone. It was too depressing to watch Dan and know that they had no hotel stays booked in the near future. 

They had weeks of being cramped in small bunks on the bus. 

Will’s voice grew distant as Dan walked closer to them and stopped in front of Kyle. He peeked over the mobile and smiled at the random photo on the screen. 

“Kyle, will you come with me? I want to try something and I could use your help.” Dan turned his attention to Kyle’s face as he waited for a response. Will had moved on and was now going through his own mobile. “It will only take a sec.” 

“Sure.” Kyle nodded his head. Dan regularly asked them for help with various things. Whether it was an issue with some equipment, an interview, or an idea he had for a song, he went to everyone for advice. 

Kyle put his mobile in his pocket and followed Dan in the direction of the venue rooms. There was a rumour that in one of these rooms someone had hidden rare sheet music, but no one had been able to find it. Maybe Dan wanted to be the proud person that finally cracked that rumour. 

“I heard-” Kyle was cut off my Dan’s mouth as they entered a bare room. 

Kyle heard the door shut behind him and then he forgot what he was going to say to Dan. 

This was new. 

They had never done this. 

At least outside of a hotel room. Dan had very much had his tongue in his mouth before and had bitten his lips. 

Dan smiled into the kiss when Kyle recovered from the shook and moved his hands to Dan’s sides and then back. Dan loved how Kyle’s large hands would move against him and send chills down his spine. 

They didn’t need to save kissing for only hotel stays. That was ridiculous. 

Especially when they could kiss anytime they wanted. 

Dan stepped in closer to Kyle and rose up on his toes as Kyle’s hands moved underneath his top and brushed against his skin. Kyle pressed their lips together, sealing the kiss and then moved his lips away. 

“We do this now?” Kyle smiled and kept his hands on Dan’s back. Dan moved down so his feet were flat on the ground but kept his hands on Kyle’s back as well. Dan was not underneath his top yet, but Kyle was waiting for it. “Not that I’m complaining, like, at all, but simply curious.” 

“Is this a problem?” Dan grinned and started kissing along Kyle’s jaw to his ear. Once there, he paused waiting for a response. Kyle’s hands gripped his back harder and Dan worked on kissing Kyle’s neck. In between kisses, he asked, “I mean, how are our lips different inside a hotel room than right now? This makes us happy. Why confine it?” 

“Very valid points.” Kyle moaned as Dan bit a spot he kissed and then moved away from him. “How did you know I needed this?” 

“I didn’t.” Dan shook his head and then moved in closer so he was pressed against Kyle’s front and his arms wrapped around Kyle’s back, holding him close. Dan rested his head on the side of Kyle’s and stayed there. “Not really. You looked upset and I wanted a cuddle.” 

“I am upset.” Kyle wrapped his arms around Dan and held him close as well. His heart rate was going down and his breathing evening out. That peaceful feeling was taking over and he didn’t want to let go of Dan. “I was upset. You help.” 

“Good.” Dan smiled and closed his eyes, content to rest right where he was at as long as Kyle stayed in place as well. “I like cuddling you. Better with a bed, but this will do.” 

Kyle grinned and closed his eyes as he rested his head on Dan’s. Whispering, he said, “Can we get a room soon? Sneak away and cuddle away our troubles and worries?” 

“Yes, please.” Dan let out a giggle and kissed the skin closest to him. “If only for a few hours, we could. The bus beds are tiny and do not fit our frames. We deserve a bed.” 

Kyle kissed the side of Dan’s head and then moved his hands down Dan’s back, lightly moving his fingertips against his skin and making him shiver in response. “We deserve a bed.” 

Kyle turned his head and took Dan’s lips again, only this time he went slow. The rush and urgency of the kiss Dan initiated gone. Now, only the softness and gentle touch of their lips together. 

Dan slowly moved his lips against Kyle’s and allowed the care between them to drown out the noise in his head. This was incredibly nice and relaxing. 

Kyle felt his heart rate increase again but there was no pressure to chase the moment. It simply was what it was and that was their lips pressing against one another and tongues gently brushing past one another. 

If Dan were any other person, Kyle might think that he was falling in love with him, but it was Dan. It was nice and loving because it was Dan. His mate, likely one of the best mates he had ever had. 

Dan wondered if Kyle was feeling what he was experiencing. Dan had very few kisses that were this soft and nice. Dan knew it was because it was Kyle. Not because there was some grand thing happening between them. No, it was because Kyle was a mate and they already cared deeply for one another. 

The slow kisses continued until they heard a knock on the door and someone stating they were looking for Dan. 

Reluctantly moving back, Dan told them he would be right there and then found Kyle’s eyes. Ugh, Dan did not want to leave the room. The moment they were in. 

“We can do this now? Anytime right?” Kyle nodded his head as he answered his own question. “It is not crossing some invisible line?”

“I believe we crossed that line ages ago.” Dan smiled at him and then gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I want to do this more. And I want a bed with you. Soon. Very soon.” 

“Soon.” Kyle kissed his forehead and allowed his hands to remove themselves from Dan’s top. 

“Soon.” Dan repeated and pushed down his top. Opening the door, he moved out and went to find whoever it was that needed him. As he walked away, he gave a brief glance back and saw Kyle exiting the room as well. 

Kyle felt the connection between them grow and he found he was okay with that. This, whatever it was, could be more.


	9. Chapter 9

It was Kyle’s idea to get the hotel room. He had to use his phone to translate from English to French and he was fairly sure he told the nice man at the counter that he needed the room for sex. 

Because he was fairly sure that the nice man at the counter implied that someone that only needs a hotel room for a few hours rents it for sex. 

Kyle, not able to translate the information fast enough into his phone, smiled back at the man and answered ‘yes’ in French. Which in turn had the nice man give him a thumbs up and a bigger grin. 

Kyle took the hotel key card and receipt and left quickly, hoping that when he returned later that evening, the nice man would not be there to give Kyle another thumbs up when he arrived with Dan. 

Or worse, when he left with Dan. 

Standing on the street, out of the eye line of anyone knowing that he wanted to spend a few hours alone in a room with another person lying on a bed, Kyle paused as he started to fold up the receipt. 

There was a winky face next to the checkout time. The nice man had given Kyle the room for the night at the discounted rate. 

Folding the receipt a few more times to attempt to hide it away from view, Kyle started back toward the venue. 

Kyle saw Dan moving around on the stage and moving things around. If someone did not know who Dan was, they would likely believe he was part of their crew and not the frontman of the band. 

Kyle loved that about Dan. Dan was Dan. Put him in a smart looking suit for an awards show or throw him in a house party with a bunch of mates. Dan was always Dan. 

Kyle jumped up on the stage and walked toward his setup. Dan had already put everything where he liked it and he had to smile because Dan knew him well. 

“Hello.” Dan walked up close to Kyle and peeked over his shoulder at the synth in front of Kyle. “You were gone for awhile. Everything alright?” 

Kyle hugged his arms to his stomach and squeezed the inside of his elbows as he nodded his head. Turning to the left, Kyle caught Dan’s eyes and all the anxiety about seeing that nice man at the hotel left him. 

It didn’t matter if the nice man knew why he wanted the room. Kyle would be able to have a few hours alone with Dan. 

A few hours that was well deserved because they had been nonstop busy for the past two weeks. 

Kyle was not sure how many airports they had been at within the past fourteen days or what timezone his body was on. But that didn’t matter because he had gotten them a hotel room to themselves. 

“You are standing in front of me, but you seem to be lost. Alright there, mate?” Dan laughed at the look Kyle gave him in return. Kyle looked as knackered as Dan felt and he wondered if they would be able to get through their performance that night. 

Well, of course, they would be able to get through the performance. That was the one constant. Playing music for people that, for whatever reason, seemed to enjoy listening to them. Dan was shocked each and every time people showed up to their gigs. And then he had the dread of knowing that he needed to perform for them and, hopefully, not disappoint them. 

“Fine.” Kyle looked around them and pulled the hotel key out of his jacket pocket. Turning it over in his hand and making sure Dan saw it, Kyle forgot how to speak because the words wouldn’t come out. 

“What’s that?” Dan tilted his head to read the paper covering the small rectangle shape that looked like a credit card. Or a hotel key. Realizing what it was, Dan looked up and found Kyle anxiously awaiting a response. “Oh.” 

“We talked about it ages ago, but I thought maybe...you know?” Kyle instantly felt like an idiot because Dan’s face went a bit pale. Putting it back in his pocket, Kyle used that hand to brush away the hair from his face and turned toward the synth. “Never mind. It was foolish. We have a gig and-” 

“When can we go?” Dan stepped in closer to Kyle and kept his voice low. His heart was beating a bit faster but he wanted to make sure Kyle knew he was okay with the offer. Suggestion. Whatever it was. Dan was nervous but completely on board. 

“Any time.” Kyle turned his head again and found that Dan was looking between his face and Kyle’s jacket pocket. “Maybe give it a few more minutes so the man at the counter doesn’t recognize me.” 

Dan laughed and it broke some of the awkwardness of the situation. There was a story there and Dan needed to know it. “What man?” 

“Someone that thinks the room is something that it is not.” Kyle turned a bob on the synth and found himself laughing at the awkward exchange between the man and himself. “He put a winky face on the receipt. A fucking winky face! And, he gave us the room for the night.” 

Dan moved his hand to the small of Kyle’s back and leaned his chin on Kyle’s upper arm. “I need to go through a few things and then we can go. Will that give you enough time to forget that happened?” 

Kyle nodded his head and gave Dan’s head a quick kiss. Either no one in the room saw or no one cared because everyone seemed to continue to go about their business. Including Dan who moved away from him and tended to the things he needed to do. 

The room was nice. Kyle made his way past the front counter without turning too red. Likely because he was wearing a hat and avoided eye contact with anyone behind the counter. 

Dan closed the door behind him and made little time kicking off his shoes and taking off his jacket. Jumping onto the bed, Dan laid back and spread out his arms. He was lying in the middle of the bed in the opposite direction and taking up all the space. But the bed was comfortable underneath his back and if Kyle wanted room on the bed, he could climb on him. 

Kyle set his jacket on top of Dan’s and decided to be brave. Following Dan onto the bed, Kyle put one knee in between Dan’s legs so he could lean onto the bed. His other knee went to the outside of Dan’s thigh and both of his hands were underneath Dan’s spread arms. From this position, he was directly over Dan and he could see every freckle on his face. 

Dan opened his eyes and looked up to find Kyle directly above him on his hands and knees. He had felt the bed shift as Kyle climbed on but it took him a minute to open his eyes and admit that Kyle was there. 

The past two weeks had been a whirlwind of travel and gigs and promotions. Meetings and more meetings. And stolen moments with Kyle behind a closed door or darkened corner. 

Their stolen moments were getting less and less as their work schedule increased. 

Which made Kyle renting the room for them that much more special. And sweet. 

Raising himself up on his elbows, Dan smiled and kissed Kyle. Or attempted to kiss him because he was too far away. Letting out a short giggle, Dan said, “A little help here.” 

That appeared to be the magic phrase that calmed all of Kyle’s nerves because he leaned down to kiss Dan and then pushed Dan back against the bed. 

Sighing into the kiss, Kyle followed Dan as he opened his mouth for him and all the embarrassment of renting the room was worth it. Having Dan underneath him and their mouths moving together was worth all the embarrassment in the world. 

Dan let out a soft sound and moved his hands up Kyle’s thighs to his hips. Kyle was too far away and Dan wanted him closer, but he was not fully on the bed and he needed to move back. Tapping his hips, Dan found Kyle looking at him with slight confusion. 

“Need to move back.” Dan ignored the way Kyle’s eyes seemed to be focused on his mouth and used both of his hands to move his body backwards. His head reached the other side of the bed and he felt more secure that if Kyle laid on top of him, they wouldn’t fall off the bed. 

Kyle followed Dan further across the bed and took his lips back before Dan could talk more. Dan’s lips responded back and Kyle felt Dan’s hands back on his hips. Pulling him in. 

Kyle laid himself down and adjusted himself so their bodies aligned with one another. They had laid with their top halves together, but never fully on top of one another. Which Kyle thought was dumb because this way as so much better than the other. 

Dan moved Kyle’s shirt out of the way and moved his hands up Kyle’s back. Kyle felt nice on top of him and Dan licked into Kyle’s mouth to share the pleasantness with him. 

Kyle felt Dan’s hands moving up his back and he decided that being in the room alone with Dan, a room that Kyle rented on his own with his own money, was making him brave. Kyle moved his hand off the bed and reached behind him to pull the shirt off from around his shoulders. 

Dan felt Kyle move and then he lost his lips because Kyle was taking his top off. Dan wasn’t sure if they were ready for that but then he saw Kyle struggling to remove the shirt so he decided to help. Pulling the shirt over Kyle’s head and off his arms, Dan looked up to see Kyle looking back at him. 

“This okay?” Kyle tossed the shirt off the bed and saw Dan nod his answer. Dan’s eyes were moving down his chest and to his stomach, taking in all the skin he could find. Kyle had had his top off before around Dan but this felt very different. He had never felt watched before with Dan. “Can we take yours off? You shouldn’t be the only one that gets to see.” 

“You have seen me without my shirt on.” Dan felt himself snap out of whatever spell Kyle’s bare chest put him under and he looked up to find Kyle waiting for an answer. “We need to move back more. Or turn. I don’t want to fall off the bed.” 

Kyle sat back on his knees and waited for Dan to move himself around on the bed. Kyle moved with him and then paused as Dan used both of his hands to remove his shirt. Dan tossed it away and laid back down on the bed. This time with his head on the pillow. 

Dan felt Kyle’s eyes moving down his chest and to his waist, which was fair because Dan had taken his own eyeful a few minutes ago. Dan wanted to cover himself up because Kyle had seen him without a shirt but never in this context. 

Kyle hovered over Dan with his knees and hands on the outside of Dan’s limbs and took in a few deep breaths. They had spent many hours kissing and cuddling on a bed, but this was new. Very new and a bit more scary. 

Much more naked. 

“You alright?” Dan waited for Kyle’s eyes to move away from his chest and back to his face. Fuck. Kyle was panicking. There was too much exposed skin and the position they were in was too much like something they had not done yet. Or talked about even. “Look, I know this is causal. Simply two mates on the lonely road. This isn’t hurting anyone.” 

“I broke it off with Beth. Like, weeks ago. I didn’t tell you.” Kyle told himself to keep his eyes on Dan’s face and nowhere else. All other places were naked or even more related to sex. “But you should know.” 

“I haven’t. I mean, you know. But, there is no one for me right now.” Dan took in a breath and told himself not to hold it in. His heart was already beating too fast, he didn’t need to deprive himself of oxygen. “So, really, not hurting anyone. I mean, so many lines are being crossed, but I’m alright with it.” 

“I’m alright with it as well.” Kyle nodded his head and bit his lip before lowering himself down on top of Dan. “A bit surreal but in a good way.” 

Dan opened his legs as Kyle settled on top of him and another line was crossed. Kyle moved one of his hands down underneath the back of Dan’s jeans and cupped his bum. Dan in turn opened his legs more and bit his lip. 

Kyle decided he would do a much better job at biting Dan’s lip then him so he leaned in and bit gently at his lower lip. Right where it was extra plump. Dan let out a wonderful noise in response and Kyle used his hand underneath Dan’s bum to pull them into each other more. 

Dan knew Kyle’s teeth were on his lip but his main focus was on how he wanted to move his hips up to meet Kyle’s body. Licking against his teeth, Dan raised his hips up and felt Kyle move into him. 

Kyle felt that Dan was hard underneath him and wasted no time kissing him properly. They needed to talk but Dan’s mouth was sweet and his hands were digging into the skin on his back. It would be rude to talk now. 

Dan knew they needed to stop and have a proper adult conversation about what they were doing and the lines they were crossing, but Kyle was hard against him and his mouth was eager to make Dan moan. 

So he moaned and told himself to shut up.

Kyle moved his other hand up to hold onto Dan's jaw and told himself the ping in his heart was only causal. 


	10. Chapter 10

“What time is it?” Dan said with his eyes closed and his hand gripping the blanket underneath him. Kyle was kissing his neck and his hand was now inside his pants. Kyle’s fingers were smooth and long along his bum. And his rings were adding a wonderful contrast to the warmth of his hand. 

As were the alternating bites with the kisses on his neck. 

Kyle had listened to when he told him he liked teeth. Dan loved that Kyle listened to that but he also wanted to know what Kyle liked. 

And what time it was because they still had a gig that night. 

“It cannot be that late. We only just got here.” Kyle raised his head and found a clock on the bedside table. The clock must be wrong because it showed that they had already been there for an hour. And they had less than an hour to leave to make it back to the venue on time. “That clock is wrong.”

Dan reached for his mobile in his front pocket and ignored the fact that Kyle’s hand was still on his ass. And that Dan’s other hand was practically underneath the back of Kyle’s pants as well. At least his fingers were slowly making their way further into his pants. 

And, while he was at it, Dan ignored how hard both of them were given the position they were in on the bed. Dan’s legs were spread out and Kyle was filling the space in between them nicely. 

Dan’s contacts were a bit fuzzy but the time did not seem right. There was no way they had been there that long. He showed the mobile to Kyle and Kyle didn’t seem to believe it either. “That is what the clock says over there as well. Have we really been here that long?” 

Dan turned off the phone and gave it a toss toward the other pillow. With his free hand, Dan moved some hair back away from Kyle's face and then kept his hand right behind Kyle’s ear. Kyle’s hair was soft. Dan knew Kyle’s hair was soft because Dan’s hands liked to play with it when they did things like this. 

Kyle turned his head to give the inside of Dan’s wrist a kiss and smiled as Dan’s hand stayed in his hair. He liked that Dan played with his hair when they did this. “What to head back?” 

“No.” Dan shook his head and moved his eyes from Kyle’s hair to his eyes. Kyle’s eyes were focused on him and it took Dan’s breath away for a few seconds. Maybe this was more than a casual thing between them. Maybe Kyle felt it as well. “I want to stay here. With you.” 

“Okay.” Kyle moved his hand from Dan’s chest to down to his stomach. His hand stayed still but it made Dan open his legs a bit more and press up against him. Dan had been hard for the majority of their kissing session. And Kyle was only growing harder. 

Maybe he would ask if Dan wanted his hand to help him along. Maybe Kyle would ask Dan to help him along. 

“Are we going to talk about this?” Dan pressed his hips up and watched as Kyle had to briefly close his eyes. Kyle bit at his lip and Dan let out a soft noise because he knew what it felt like when Kyle would bite him like that.

Dan wondered if Kyle wanted to talk about them. What the hell they were going together. 

And why it felt so amazing. 

“Can I touch you? With my hand?” Kyle released his lip from his mouth and leaned in closer to Dan’s face. His hand was waiting on Dan’s stomach as Kyle waited for permission. If Dan wanted to talk, they could talk about this. Because Dan did not want to talk about the other thing. He said it was causal. 

Mutual wanks could be causal as well. 

There it was. Kyle didn’t feel the same thing he was feeling. Kyle wanted to get off. Not talk about emotions. 

Dan nodded his head and pressed his head backward as he felt Kyle’s fingers moving underneath his pants. Kyle’s hand was blocked after he had all his fingers in due to the band of his jeans. Kyle moved his hand back to undo the button and zip. Dan was impressed at how steady Kyle’s hand was given what they were doing. 

Kyle quickly undid Dan’s jeans and moved his hand all the way inside. Kyle closed his eyes and leaned his head forward, making the hand Dan had in his hair move to the back of his head. 

Kyle’s hand moved down his length and Kyle was struck by how different it was than touching himself. For one, it was Dan. For two, Dan was making these breathing sounds and it was heaven. 

Kyle kept his hand on him and Dan saw stars behind his eyelids. Kyle was a million times better at this than Dan ever was with himself. Dan gripped the back of Kyle’s head for encouragement and then remembered he had two hands as well. 

Kissing along Kyle’s ear, Dan asked, “Can I touch you?” 

Kyle let out an embarrassing noise that sounded like consent so Dan moved the hand with his fingers inside the back of Kyle’s pants to the front. He didn’t want to let go of Kyle’s soft hair so he would need to use the other hand. 

Kyle’s jeans were unzipped and moved to the side. Dan pressed his hand along Kyle’s dick and the stars were brighter. And Kyle made more sounds that sounded like he was enjoying Dan’s efforts. 

Kyle mouthed the skin closest to him and felt Dan’s hips move up against this own. And their hands. There was a lot going on down there. Too many restrictions. 

Dan released his hand from Kyle to push down their jeans and pants. Thankfully, Kyle understood what was happening and he helped as best as he could. 

Kyle used his legs to push away the rest of the clothing from them and then moved up slightly so they were better angled against one another. “This is nice. I love this.” 

Dan nodded his head and moved his hand further up Kyle’s head to turn Kyle toward his face. Kyle’s pupils were blown wide and his face was flush. He looked beautiful and it made Dan’s heart do a ping thing that felt odd yet amazing at the same time. 

Kyle pressed his knees into the bed and moved his hand faster up and down Dan’s dick. Dan was doing the same and they almost had the same rhythm. Kyle had the odd thought that Dan was playing him like a song but then Dan increased his grip toward his head and there was no more thinking. 

Dan felt Kyle released into his hand and he had to bite his lip. Kyle’s hips were moving against his own but his hand had stilled as Kyle made sounds. Digging his heels into the bed, Dan felt his body do the rest of the work. 

Kyle collapsed against Dan’s shoulder, his body going limp from their effort. He could hear Dan breathing heavier underneath him and he had felt Dan release into his hip. They had both came so they could rest and enjoy the moment against one another. 

Dan leaned his head over to rest against Kyle’s and moved his hand from Kyle’s hair to this back. Kyle was still breathing hard and his back was a bit damp. 

Kyle took Dan’s hand with his own and pressed their fingers together. Both of them had been used so it didn’t matter if they touched one another. Resting their joint hands on the bed, Kyle closed his eyes and worked on memorizing every moment of what happened. 

Dan knew they needed to move soon and clean themselves up. They needed to get back the venue and go through the pre-gig obligations. But he also knew that his heart was doing a thing and it had nothing to do with the physicality of what they did together. 

So, it didn’t matter what time it was because he wanted to stay right where he was with Kyle. Because there was a possibility that after Dan said what he knew he needed to say, that Kyle might not want to do this with him anymore. 

If Kyle knew that it was not causal between them, at least for Dan, then Kyle might decide to end their time together. 

Kyle felt his heart beating in his chest and then everything hurt. He needed to tell Dan about what he had been feeling for a while now. He needed to tell him that what they just did was amazing because it had been them together. 

It was not causal for Kyle. It might even be love. 

Which would make Kyle a liar. Because he might not remember everything from their first night slept in a bed together, but he remembered telling Dan that it was not like he was in love with him or something. 

But maybe it was like that. 

Maybe he was. 

“Dan.” Kyle said right at the same time he heard Dan say, “Kyle.” 

Moving his head up, Kyle looked for something on Dan’s face that would tell him it would be the worst mistake of his life to tell him what he needed to tell them. He couldn’t find any sign there. 

Dan took in the sight of Kyle so close to him and he knew he needed to say it. Be brave. Tell them. So what if Kyle rejected him and ran from the room because Dan had lied to him. Told him that he wasn’t in love with him. 

Dan opened his mouth to say it but then every moment of their friendship ran through his mind and he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t risk saying it and then Kyle not wanting to be his friend anymore. Not wanting to be in the band anymore. 

Dan would ruin everyone’s lives if he told Kyle. So instead, he asked him if he wanted to take a shower before they left. It was for the best. Dan couldn’t speak of such things. 

There was Kyle’s sign. Dan didn’t feel the same way. They shared this amazing moment together and he wanted to ask him if he wanted a shower. Probably if Kyle wanted to take the first shower. 

Because this was causal and causal does not take showers together. 

“Yeah. That is a good idea.” Kyle nodded his head and slowly moved himself away from Dan’s body. Their hands fell away from each other as Kyle used both of them to move himself back off the bed. 

Standing, he looked toward Dan moving from the bed and he felt his heart sinking. Kyle wouldn’t be able to do this anymore if Dan didn’t want more from it. It would hurt too much each time they were together and then Kyle had to act like it was nothing. Only something mates did on road when they were lonely or bored. 

Dan resisted the urge to turn himself away from Kyle. Kyle had already seen everything. They had just made each other orgasm by moving against one another. There was no need to be shy. 

But there was a need to protect himself from Kyle. Kyle who did not want more from this arrangement. 

Arrangement. Ha. 

Fuck, Dan loved him and Kyle only wanted some clinical arrangement. 

“You can go first.” Kyle ran his hands through his hair and ignored how much different it felt with his own hands versus when Dan’s hands moved through his hair. “I will wait. We have enough time to get back if both of us hurry.” 

“Okay.” Dan swallowed and felt his throat get tighter. He needed to be out of Kyle’s sight before he cried so he turned away and made his way toward the bath. 

Kyle waited for Dan to shut the door before he let out a long breath and allowed the tears to come. Fuck, what had they done? 

Kyle couldn’t do this. He couldn’t cry in a random hotel room while Dan showered in another room to wash away what they had done together. That was too much. He would go insane if they kept this up. 

He needed to talk to Dan. 

Dan turned on the water and stood staring as the water fell down and hit the bottom of the tub. His throat hurt from the tears stuck in there. He couldn’t cry. 

Because if he started then he would have to tell Kyle why he was crying. Kyle wouldn’t buy that the contacts made his eyes red. Kyle knew him too well for that. 

Fuck, they fucked that up. Kyle was one of his best mates, if not his best, and he fucked it up. 

The room got very small and Dan couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t not have Kyle as a mate. He just couldn’t. 

Abandoning the shower, Dan turned and made his way back to the room. Opening the door, he found Kyle stood on the other side. 

He looked about as wrecked as Dan. Did he feel it too? Or was he going to end it all with him? 

“I cannot do this.” Kyle choked out the words and saw Dan’s face instantly drop so he continued as quickly as he could get the words out. “I don’t know what this is between us but it is more than casual. I know you want causal but I don’t know if I can do casual anymore. Because that, what we did was amazing and I cannot ignore that. I cannot do that without you knowing that it is more for me. More than casual.” 

Kyle could not say the love word yet. He needed to know how Dan felt first. If Dan was going to leg it on him, Kyle needed to preserve at least some of his dignity. But he was happy he was able to get as much out as he did. 

“I want more than casual.” Dan stepped in closer because he felt like he could breathe again. “I, I, I, same. Not causal. More than casual. For me. It is more than casual for me.” 

“Well good then.” Kyle took another step and wrapped his arms around Dan to hold him closer. They talked. They said it. Dan wanted the same thing as him. Kyle let out a short laugh. “Now, we are going to be late.” 

“Come on then.” Dan stood back and pushed away a tear with the back of his hand as he took Kyle’s other hand. “Shower with me. We will save time.” 

“Still going to be late.” Kyle followed Dan into the warm water and felt a huge sense of relief. The weight of the world leaving his shoulders and Kyle didn’t even know he was holding onto so much. 

“So Woody and Will live out their rock star fantasies with a few solos.” Dan stepped back into the water and felt his chest loosening up. The oxygen moving freely through him. They talked. Kyle wanted more than causal. Nothing had to end. All was well. 

“What is this? Positive Dan?” Kyle turned them around so he was able to have water on him. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Don’t question it.” Dan laughed as he watched the water fall onto Kyle. The world was righting itself and everything was okay. 

As they left the hotel, there was a man behind the front counter that gave Dan’s a thumbs up and Dan had to point it out to Kyle. 

Kyle instantly went red and Dan knew it was the man that Kyle was talking about from before. Fuck, what did Kyle tell him?

“Your new ami approves.” Dan laughed as Kyle turned even redder and pulled on his arm to get them to leave quicker. As they made their way down the pavement toward the venue, Dan continued to laugh as he teased, “Was that really him? He is, like, eighty years old. Wait, what did you imply that we were going to do in there? As you spoke with an eighty year old man?” 

“Shut up.” Kyle tied to hold the laughter but it broke out anyway. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”


	11. Chapter 11

Album was released and people wanted them everywhere.

Kyle, never the one that enjoyed an airport or a flight, had to deal with constant flying. Which put him on edge.

And, in turn, put Dan on edge.

As Dan was quickly finding out, his mood would mirror Kyle’s mood.

One of Dan’s more free thinking mates, ages ago, told him he was an empath.

Picking up the emotions and feelings of those around him. Thus, why romantic relationships were not a priority and being around too many people felt overwhelming at times.

He needed to be in nature and have quiet moments away from the intense emotions of others around him.

Picking up the emotions of others was great for songwriting but bad for overall mental health if constantly around other people with high stress.

Like the music world.

Being loved by a partner was amazing because he picked up all of that emotion. But, the good with the bad, he also picked up the stress and anxiety of the one he was in a relationship with as well.

Thus, a seven hour flight almost did both Kyle and Dan in.

Dan had to get up and switch spots with Woody at the three hour mark. If he stayed near Kyle, both Kyle and Dan were going to have a joint panic attack with no option to remove themselves from the plane.

“Hiya.” Woody pushed down his headphones and gave Kyle a crooked smile. “What to hear a joke?”

“Not particularly.” Kyle opened his eyes and turned his body slightly toward Woody. “But I will listen.”

“What did the grape say when it was crushed?” Woody pushed back his hair as he waited for Kyle’s answer. The joke was dumb but it hopefully would get a little laugh, or a punch, and he could distract Kyle with something else.

“Really? I am freaking about being in an airtight tin can hurtling through spacetime and you want to make a joke about a sentient grape dying?” Kyle’s grip on the armrest increased and he wondered what would happen if he talked nicely to the captain about letting him off. “Did you catch the captain’s name?”

“Kyle.” Woody hovered his hand over the arm closest to him before slowly taking hold of Kyle’s arm. “No. There is only, what, four more hours left? They are not going to turn this thing ‘round.”

“I hate you right now.” Kyle looked toward Woody’s hand on his arm and hoped he never removed it. Dan was holding his hand but Woody likely would not go that far.

“Sorry I am not Dan.” Woody let out a short laugh and then took Kyle’s hand with his free hand. “But, I can hold your hand.”

“Fine, I love you again.” Kyle closed his eyes and kept them shut. Woody’s hand was smaller than Dan’s and more muscular. Stocky rather than slim and long. Kyle knew Dan’s hands well at this point in their relationship. “Dan alright?”

“He looked a bit pale when he begged me to switch spots, but he looks better than you.” Woody kept his hands where they were but leaned in a bit closer. “What is going on with that? Eh? Will seems to think you and Dan...are a bit more friendly...he thinks you are fucking. Are you fucking?”

Kyle decided he hated Woody again.

Dan and Kyle had been together for a few weeks now yet never really had more of a conversation about what they were other than they were not casual. And that they were exclusive.

There were many kissing moments and mutual wanks when allowed, but nothing more. Kyle almost suggested sucking Dan off one day but Kyle shied away from it.

It was one thing to joke around with Dan about Dan having a dream that Kyle did that and a completely separate thing to actually have someone’s dick in your mouth.

Kyle liked having other body parts of Dan’s in his mouth, but that seemed more, for a lack of a better word, gay.

Kyle was all the way down with the gays. At least he thought.

He told his family about Dan and they had taken the news well. Kyle had one of those families where everything was talked about and people were loved because they were family. Kyle knew that was exceptionally rare and that he was blessed to have such unconditional love.

Dan had mentioned that he told his mum, but that was only because she had rang while Kyle was in the hotel room with him. And his mum joked about whether Dan’s boyfriend was there with him while on speaker phone.

Dan blushed and gestured for Kyle to say ‘hello.’ Dan’s mum gushed on their relationship for a good five minutes before Dan forced her to hang up the phone.

Dan buried his head underneath the pillow and Kyle had to give him a few minutes before he un-burrowed himself. Even after that, they didn’t talk about it.

“I guess it depends on your definition of fucking.” Kyle titled his neck to the side because it seemed too stiff. Maybe his body was starting to swell from the air pressure.

He would need to add that to the list of things to research once the flight landed. A list that might make him stay in the new country and never return due to the flight needed to return home.

“Are you two together?” Woody’s tone seemed curious rather than mocking so Kyle answered him.

“Yes.” Kyle opened his eyes and kept them focused on an eyelash underneath Woody’s eye. “At least, I believe we are together. Haven’t really gotten ‘round to talking about it. Seems Dan is not the best communicator when it comes to relationships. Shocking, I know. I, probably because it is him, am not faring any better. Like, we are exclusive and that is all I know.”

“I think Dan believes you two are together.” Woody nodded his head and rubbed his hand up and down Kyle’s arm. Kyle was focusing on the topic rather than the flight so he decided to stay on it. “There was this woman at the airport, totally flirting with him. Dan, he didn’t know, but when she was more upfront about it, Dan turned her down. Said he was with someone special. That is you.”

Kyle gave a genuine smile and felt his own cheeks blush. Which likely looked strange because he knew he had to be very pale. A regular clown he must look.

“I have never been with a bloke.” Kyle swallowed and told himself to stay on the topic of Dan and his relationship. As scary as it was, it was simpler than being in a device that should not be able to fly through the air but was taking them to another continent. “I don’t believe Dan has either. We are both learning, I supposed. But, it is Dan. I mean, Dan.”

“They say the best relationships are based on friendship.” Woody squeezed Kyle’s forearm and kept even pressure on it. “Dan already loves you as a mate. He tells us how much he loves us every time someone gives him a drink.”

“I think I love him. Like, I’m in love with him.” Kyle closed his eyes as the plane jerked and said a prayer to the air gods to spare him. He wanted Dan back near him but he knew he wasn’t in the best place to comfort Kyle at the moment.

“I think maybe he is in love with you.” Woody smiled thinking of the other day where Dan had been staring at Kyle all through an interview and then through their performance that night. “Sure does like looking at you. If his eyes are not on his shoes or the keyboard, they are on you.”

“I like that.” Kyle smiled again and took a few shorter breaths, holding each of them in for five full seconds before letting them out. “Any advice on how to tell him that?”

“It is complex. One, open your mouth. Two, tell him.” Woody squeezed at Kyle’s arm as the plane jerked some more. “Then he speaks. You say something back. It continues.”

“Wise one, I see.” Kyle released his hand from the arm rest and gripped onto Woody’s hand covering his forearm as the plane jerked more. “Fuck, I hate flying. Make it stop.”

“No, we don’t want it to stop right now. Trust me on that one.” Woody looked over the half closed window at the vast land underneath them. “A few more hours and then your feet can touch land again. And you can try that talking thing with Dan.”

“What did the grape say?” Kyle focused on his breathing and not the metal box shaking its flesh contents. “When it was crushed?”

“Oh, nothing.” Woody held Kyle’s hand with a stronger grip. “It just let out a little wine.”

“You are good at this.” Kyle squeezed Woody’s hand back. “Fucking rubbish at jokes, but good at being a mate.”

“You are welcome. I only ask that you don’t break my hand. Rick Allen is a legend and I will not be able to play with only one arm.” Woody smiled as Kyle laughed at his joke.

*****  
“There is a mini fridge with alcohol.” Dan wasted no time in opening the fridge to gather some liquid courage. It never let him down and he needed it after that long flight and Kyle requesting to talk to him when they arrived at the hotel.

As always, Kyle and Dan took a room and the rest scattered to their respective rooms. Dan swore he saw Woody give Kyle a wink when they walked past him.

Whatever that meant needed to be heard with something to calm Dan’s nerves.

He was still on edge from the flight and needing to move away from Kyle. Kyle said he understood but Dan wasn’t quite sure if he realized why Dan needed to move.

And, hopefully, Kyle was not going to shout at him now for abandoning him on the flight.

Handing over a bottle to Kyle, Dan opened his own and drank half of it before Kyle had his open.

Kyle didn’t comment on it but took his own drink and sat on the edge of the bed closest to the door. He took another drink while waiting for Dan to stop pacing.

“Please, if that is not absolutely needed, sit down.” Kyle rested the bottle on his thigh and smiled as Dan finished his drink and sat down on the opposite bed. Directly in front of him.

Dan picked at a rumple in his jeans and waited for whatever it was that Kyle needed to say to him. Would this be the end?

“I believe I am in love with you.” Kyle said it without his voice shaking and he was proud of himself. Since he had gotten that much out, he decided to keep going after finishing his bottle. “I know I told you forever ago that I was not, but I think I might be now. Or, maybe, I was then as well but I didn’t know it. Because I thought it was simply friendship and a bit of musical infatuation. I mean, you are responsible for me even being in this room. I know you hate to talk about that, but it is true. Fuck, what even would I be without you? So, yes, I believe I am in love with you. Thoughts?”

Dan stopped picking at the rumple and stood to get more bottles. Handing another one over to Kyle, Dan opened his own and returned to his seat. He didn’t take a drink though because Kyle didn’t open his own.

Love? In love?

Dan wasn’t sure if he knew what that meant. Like, he wasn’t an idiot, he knew the concept. But, was he?


	12. Chapter 12

“Be honest.” Will leaned over so he could talk without a nosy neighbor listening in on them. “Blokes with blokes: It has to be easier, right? Same brain and the like.” 

“Why are you asking me?” Dan shifted in his seat and wondered why planes always had to have the most uncomfortable fabrics and metals poking into you. 

It had been bearable when he was sitting next to Kyle because it was Kyle. But then Kyle started panicking about the turbulence and the length of the flight. And how flying was certain death. That spiked Dan’s anxiety and they were a ball of nervous energy together. 

So he did what he thought was best and switched seats with Woody. 

But now he was sat next to Will. And it just so happened that apparently Will was feeling chatty, or likely bored, and wanted to ask Dan random questions. 

“You and Kyle. Right?” Will closed the book he was reading and put it in the pocket in front of him. This was better than the foreign country he was reading up on. “You are together. Have been for a few weeks or months really. Ever since that awkward exchange where you were going to room with Woody.” 

“Oh.” Dan pushed back against a lump in the back of his seat and pulled his shirt out from his chest. The quiet ones were always the most observant. “You know about that? Us? Like, everyone knows?” 

“I doubt everyone cares. Not like me. I take an interest in my future. This gig is all I have.” Will crossed his arms and sat back. “And you smile when you look at each other. Like, all the fucking time. So something has to be good about being with a bloke. It is easier, right?” 

“I don’t know what to compare it to really.” Dan pulled out his shirt again and then crossed his arms much like Will. The number of relationships he had had barely took up the fingers on one hand. 

Secondary school was horrid. Uni was spent mostly with Ralph and their small little lot. And studying. 

Now, music. 

“But better than with a bird? Because you think like each other?” Will looked toward where Woody appeared to be calming Kyle down. “Like, you two cannot even sit next to each other on a flight because Kyle spikes your anxiety. But it probably goes the other way. He is in the mood, you are in the mood. Easier, right?” 

“I have no idea what you are asking. But, no.” Dan let out a short laugh and hoped his face was not as red as it felt. He wanted water and looked around for the flight attendant. They were all the way in the front and had yet to make their way back to them again. “Relationships, being with another person, are never easy.” 

“But, you are mates. That must help.” Will nodded his head and followed Dan’s eyes to Kyle. “You can go back. Woody probably told him some stupid joke and is boring the panic right out of him.” 

“I can’t.” Dan shook his head and hugged himself tighter. He was learning more and more that his energy was feeding off Kyle’s energy. Kyle being that hyped up was not good for him. And Dan being near him was not good for Kyle. “It is hard to explain.” 

“You are an empath, aren’t you?” Will nodded his head and turned to watch Dan’s reaction. “I knew it. Picking up energy from those ‘round you. No wonder you isolate after large gigs and intense meetings. My mum was one. I have no extravagant emotions so I was great with her.” 

“Someone told me about it in uni.” Dan nodded his head and found Will was looking out the small window now. “People confuse it with being introverted. People are just so intense at times. Keys me up bad and I need time to decompress all that energy. Or write lyrics with it.” 

Will let the conversation drop until it was almost thirty minutes until they landed. He poked at Dan’s arm and got his attention. 

“I think Kyle really likes you.” Will tried to explain what he wanted to tell Dan before they went off topic and then the conversation ended. “But, maybe he is afraid to tell you. He was asking one of the crew about sex the other day.” 

“Who?” Will’s words put Dan at attention. Who was Kyle talking with about sex? 

“The one with the app on their mobile. The swiping one. Lands anywhere and has a person waiting for him.” Will leaned in closer again. “I might need to try the app in this country. Not all of us have sexual relief in the band.” 

****

Dan sat on the hotel bed with an open bottle in one hand and Kyle sat in front of him. 

Kyle had confessed his love for him and Dan didn’t know what to say. 

Oh course he loved Kyle. Likely had ever since he met him. 

But, opening himself up and being vulnerable was scary. 

And overwhelming. 

It was one thing to have a cuddle buddy during lonely nights. And a mate that you could wank and kiss. 

Was he prepared for a relationship with Kyle? 

He didn’t want Kyle seeing anyone else. He wanted whatever arrangement they had to be more than causal.

Taking a long drink and then setting the bottle on the bedside table, Dan kicked off his shoes and moved back to lie on the bed. 

Patting the space next to him, Dan smiled at Kyle, “I’m cold. Come warm me up.” 

Kyle set his bottle next to Dan’s and removed his shoes as well before climbing into bed with him. For as many times as they had done this now, this was familiar. Comforting. 

Dan’s hand moved up Kyle’s arm as he settled into the space directly next to him, stopping when it reached Kyle’s hair. Brushing it back, Dan took in Kyle’s eager face in front of him. Kyle had been vulnerable and spoke what he was feeling. Dan deserved to give him that much vulnerability and honesty back. 

“I think I am in love with you as well.” Dan leaned his forehead against Kyle’s and allowed the comfort of being near one another do its magic. “But that is scary because you are one of my best mates and I never want that to change. No matter what happens between us. I want both. Best mates and love mates.” 

“Love mates?” Kyle let out a laugh and a long breath. The one he had been holding since he spoke his truth to Dan. Kyle moved his hand up Dan’s shirt in the back and held onto the skin he found there. “Is that like lovers but less gross sounding?” 

“Something like that.” Dan nodded his head against Kyle’s forehead before finding his lips. Kissing was easy. They knew how to do that well. 

Maybe a bit too well because soon clothing was being removed and Dan wondered if they finished with their conversation or not. 

“I do love you.” Dan used his hand on Kyle’s chest to push him back and allow oxygen to re-enter his body. “Very likely to fall madly in love with you. But always best mates first.” 

“Friendships make the best relationship starters.” Kyle’s hand lowered on Dan’s back until it was underneath his pants and holding his bum. “Best mates that touch bums and have sexy dreams about one another.” 

“Did you talk with Sam about sex apps?” Dan blurted out the question because he knew they needed to talk about this before Dan spent the rest of the week obsessing about it in his head. “Will said you spoke with Sam about sex apps.” 

“Mainly curious.” Kyle’s hand moved to Dan’s other cheek and he turned them so he was underneath Dan’s weight. Opening his legs, he allowed Dan to naturally move into the space he created for him. “And I had a few questions about the male on male variety of hook ups.” 

“Sam sleeps with men?” Dan used both of his hands to brush back the hair on Kyle’s head and kept his hands there because Kyle’s hair was soft. And he needed something to focus on to have this conversation. “I didn’t know that.” 

“Saw it on his mobile. He sleeps with men and women. Said that gender or sex doesn’t matter as much as connection. But, given our road scheduled, his connection right now is whether it feels good to move against one another.” Kyle smiled as Dan’s hands made gentle movements with the short hairs on the side of his head. “We didn’t get fully into it, but he said that sleeping with men is a lot like sleeping with women. Hands and mouths and skin. Sweat and awkward positions. Leg cramps and too much teeth. Only when he sleeps with men, they have different equipment. Not better, simply different.” 

“Do you think about that?” Dan laid his head down on Kyle’s chest because he needed a break from eye contact. He kept his arms raised and in Kyle’s hair though. “Sleeping with men.” 

“I already sleep with a man.” Kyle attempted to make a light joke given the seriousness of the topic. “I am seriously considering having sex with a man and wanted to look more into it. Gather more information before I jump into it.” 

“Is that man me?” Dan knew the question was stupid but he needed to ask it. If Kyle wanted to have sex with other men and simply love and sleep with Dan, he needed to know. 

“There is no other person that I want to have sex with right now.” Kyle nodded his head and used his free hand to raise Dan’s head up by his chin. “Thoughts about that?” 

“I think it would be strange. Because it would be with you.” Dan rested his chin on Kyle’s chest and moved his hands down so they were at Kyle’s waist. “But, I like everything else that we are doing so maybe it wouldn’t be so strange.” 

“We could go slow and talk to each other. I like talking to you about this stuff. It is scary but I think we need to get into a better habit of talking about what we are feeling and thinking about. Wise Woody told me so.” Kyle leaned down to kiss a wrinkle off Dan’s forehead before he continued. “Apparently talking is as simple as opening our mouths.” 

“Not always that simple.” Dan pushed himself up more and closed his eyes as he accidentally put pressure on Kyle’s dick. “But I agree. We could make a pack to talk to each other. No matter how scary it is. And the other one has to listen to whatever is said before making a comment.” 

“Agreed.” Kyle gave Dan a smile and then brushed back a stray hair falling onto Dan’s face. “I hate flying. I don’t want to ever fly again. So, stay here with me forever, okay?” 

“Okay.” Dan let out a soft giggle and kissed Kyle’s chin. “Serious topic. What are your thoughts about sucking each other off?” 

“I believe we have all the right equipment between us.” Kyle let out a laugh of his own as Dan tickled his sides in response to his answer. “Hey, pack says to listen before making a comment. I wasn’t done.” 

“Continue.” Dan stopped tickling Kyle’s sides but rested his hands nearby in case Kyle decided to be cheeky again. “I’m listening.” 

“And I would be willing to give it a go.” Kyle lowered his voice. “You know, see if we like it.” 

“Finished?” Dan asked as his hands moved their way down Kyle’s sides and one hand moved to go underneath his body and cup Kyle. Kyle gave him a nod in return and Dan smiled. “I want to go first. That way, if I’m rubbish, you will be great in comparison.” 

“So if you are great and I am rubbish, the sour note remains on me. I see how you are playing this.” Kyle quickly moved out from underneath Dan and pressed him against the bed. “I go first. You can be rubbish second.” 

“Toss a coin?” Dan offered, raising himself up on his elbows so he was closer to Kyle’s face. Kissing along his jaw, Dan allowed his hand to return to where it was before Kyle moved them. “Or you just let me go first.” 

Dan put the amount of pressure that Kyle liked and Kyle felt his body welcome the contact. If that was only with Dan’s hand on him, what would his mouth feel like? 

“Okay, you can go first.” Kyle moved so he was lying on his back and told himself not to let out an embarrassing sound because Dan’s hand moved away from him. 

Kyle was instantly hard only from the simple contact and he welcomed Dan’s hands removing his jeans and pants underneath. 

Finding Dan’s hand, Kyle squeezed it and closed his eyes when he felt Dan breathing on him. 

It would be impossible to be rubbish at this. Especially since it was Dan and everything they had done until then had been nice. 

Kyle lost himself and let out one of those embarrassing sounds as Dan took him in his mouth.


	13. Chapter 13

“Kyle?” Dan blew on the spot he had been sucking on. There was a nice mark right underneath his left ear that Dan was particularly proud of making. 

Dan had made Kyle come in his mouth and he was still reeling from that “newness” so he went back to something that felt more familiar. Kissing on necks was very familiar now. 

But, now that Dan and Kyle were...whatever they were, Dan was allowed to make marks on Kyle’s neck. 

A wonderful red mark that would turn into a wonderful purple mark. Dan, ages ago, had decided that purple was Kyle’s colour. A lovely shade against his pale skin and dark hair. 

“Yeah?” Kyle let out a few short breaths and wondered when he would fully see again. Everything got super intense and then he had Dan sucking on his neck. Tensing his body from the sensation of Dan blowing on his neck, and his body reminding him now similar it had felt when Dan blew on other parts of his body, Kyle closed his eyes because sight was overrated. “What ya need? I’m, like, firing at about five percent so don’t expect much from me.” 

Kyle had let Dan go first and he had full intentions of going second. Only he needed like five more minutes...or likely fifteen, to compose himself enough to get back in control of his body.

“I’m hungry.” Dan smiled as he kissed along Kyle’s neck and down to his chest. Because he could do that now. Kyle had been literally in his mouth so he was allowed to kiss him wherever he wanted now. Kissing around his nipple as he spoke, Dan’s smile increased as Kyle’s body tensed again. “Are you hungry? We could order food?”

“Yeah. Sounds amazing.” Kyle used the five percent to turn Dan over and lie on top of his chest. Dan’s wrists were held on either side of his head. Smiling down at Dan’s shocked, and a bit hurt, expression from being interpreted, Kyle shook his head at him. “You have never done that before? Are you positive? Because, damn.” 

Dan felt his face instantly turn red. He had been loving having that “power” over Kyle and now he was literally on his back and being held in place. No longer was Kyle’s body tensing because Dan was kissing and teasing him. Dan wished the embarrassment away because, no, he had never done that before but he knew what he liked. 

And now he knew he liked doing that to Kyle was well. 

But, he was hungry and he wanted food. 

“I’m hungry.” Dan ignored his red face and exaggerated a pout. Kyle’s eyes went to his extended lip and then back to his eyes. Fuck, Dan felt watched under those eyes. No longer could they play this off as mates seeking comfort and companionship with one another. 

Kyle wouldn’t make a dumb joke about Dan being a fully functional adult and that Kyle was not his mum. If he was hungry, go do something about it. 

Now, Kyle would do just what he did. Move off Dan after giving him a kiss on the nose and going to find the room service menu. 

Dan watched from behind as Kyle’s shoulder hunched forward as he read through the menu with his back turned to Dan. Pushing himself up, Dan wrapped his arms around Kyle’s arms and leaned his head on Kyle’s shoulder to read the menu with him. 

Kyle felt the need to feed Dan and, without thinking about it, found the room menu to make Dan not be hungry anymore. Dan had made Kyle feel more than amazing and Kyle did not want Dan to suffer. 

Kyle knew it was dramatic, but he was going to blame it on the hormones from the intense orgasm and the realization that Dan would never be only his mate from here on out. 

They crossed lines and erased them behind them. There was no going back to a time that Dan did not know what Kyle tasted like when he came. 

So Kyle felt a bit primal and wanted to care for Dan. 

Normally he would take the piss out of him for complaining like a child, but that line must have been erased as well. 

Feeling Dan lean his bare chest against his back and then his arms moving around his arms, holding him in place on the edge of the bed, Kyle felt his heart ping again. Fuck, this was turning into something more quickly. 

And Kyle was completely, one hundred percent, okay with it. 

“I don’t know what any of this stuff is.” Kyle laughed as he turned his head and kissed Dan’s bicep. Looking back and up, he found that Dan was faring no better. “Should we ask? Close our eyes and point to something to order?” 

“Adventurous.” Dan nodded his head and kissed the side of Kyle’s head. Closing his eyes, Dan reached down and pointed to something on the menu. When he opened them, he found he was pointing toward empty space. “That didn’t work.” 

“We could do it together?” Kyle turned out of Dan’s embrace and found Dan was still wearing his pants. Dan had taken off Kyle’s before he did the thing he did to him. 

Kyle did not remember when Dan took off his own jeans.

Sitting there naked and Dan in his pants, Kyle felt a strange sensation move over him and he felt the need to cover himself up. 

So maybe not one hundred percent okay with it.

“You alright?” Dan saw Kyle’s whole body language change as he moved to face him again. Kyle’s eyes went to Dan and then he appeared to close in on himself a bit. 

“I’m naked.” Kyle tried to shake off the strange situation but it wasn’t going anywhere. Handing Dan the menu, he stood to find his bags. He needed to wear something and not feel so exposed. 

Dan acted like he was reading the menu when Kyle turned back to him. Dan had watched as Kyle went through his bag and found clothes. He put on not only his pants, but sleep wear as well. 

Which made Dan feel exposed as Kyle sat back on the bed and acted like he was only looking at the menu as well. And not Dan sat on the bed essentially naked. The same bed that Dan had done the thing which Kyle seemed to like, but maybe he read that wrong. 

Dan handed the menu back to Kyle and stood as well. He needed clothes if Kyle was going to be wearing clothes. 

Something had shifted in the room and Kyle did not like it. He thought maybe putting on clothes would make the eeriness go away. But, seeing Dan’s reaction, Kyle only increased it. 

“I’m sorry.” Kyle reached for Dan’s hand as he sat next to him on the bed. Dan was fully dressed in loose clothing that Kyle had witnessed him wear to bed when he wasn’t feeling well. Dan’s comfy sleepwear. Rubbing his thumb against the side of Dan’s hand, Kyle waited for a response. 

“No, I’m sorry.” Dan melted at the feeling of Kyle’s thumb attempting to comfort him. Dan was the one that suggested the whole thing and then he did the thing. If anything, it was Dan who needed to apologize. “I rushed us into something that we were not ready for. I will slow down.” 

“No. You didn’t rush us. I agreed to it.” Kyle moved in closer and put their hands in his lap. “Fucking hell, I loved it. All of it. And you marking me underneath my ear. I love that.” 

“But you got weird. And I felt it and it made me get weird.” Dan looked up from their joint hands and felt a bit lost. “I know you loved it when I did it, but maybe that was only because it was a mouth and it has been awhile since you had it done to you. Now, it is weird and I don’t know how to make it go back to not feeling weird.” 

“I loved it because it was you.” Kyle leaned in to rest his head on Dan’s. Kyle felt a bit like he had on the plane when everything was too much and Dan was trying to make it better, but he was spiking right along with him. Being close helped. At least, Kyle hoped it would. “It is not like we have rushed into this. Fuck, we have been sleeping in the same bed for months and kissing for what, two months? I have had quick one offs with people. That was rushing it. We have been building to this. I dunno, it felt strange being naked and you not.” 

Dan nodded his head to show he was listening and waited eight seconds before he said something. He had heard once that after someone stopped talking or asked a question, if nothing happened in eight seconds then it was time to move forward. 

“It will get better, right?” Dan moved in more and took Kyle’s other hand. Being close was erasing some of the weirdness for Kyle and he wanted to make more go away. “Like, with the wanks? That felt strange the first time we did it, but then it doesn’t seem so weird. Right?” 

“Yes.” Kyle nodded his head against Dan’s and heard Dan’s stomach growl, alerting him back to their original dilemma. “We need to get food. Let’s order food we don’t know and see what arrives. Then that will be the weird situation in the room and we can either love the food or laugh about it.” 

“You pick and I will raid the minifridge.” Dan smiled as he moved back. Kyle felt much more calm now and it was settling Dan back into that comfortable place he felt when he was near Kyle. Or a good mate. But especially Kyle. 

When the food arrived, their conversation from earlier was a distant blur because the food was amazing. 

Chicken with the perfect amount of spice. And it paired well with the mini bottles from the fridge. 

The mini bottles helped ease some of the weirdness from earlier away as well. 

“Dan?” Kyle brushed his leg against Dan’s as they lied facing each other. The lights were off and they were settling down for the night. They had an early call for a local telly spot the next morning and they needed their rest to be camera ready. 

Dan let out a sound to show he was listening and moved his hand down into the back of Kyle’s joggers. He felt tired and happy. A very rare combination that would likely allow him to sleep well. 

Kyle had never gotten to go second but neither of them said anything about it. Maybe it was the previous weirdness of the evening, but it seemed best to only have one life changing experience that night. But, he did want to share something with Dan. Something that was important that he knew.

“My heart does a ping thing when I’m with you.” Kyle moved his hand underneath the soft shirt Dan was wearing. Moving his hand all the way up to his shoulders, Kyle hugged Dan in impossibly closer to him. Dan’s head was slightly underneath Kyle’s chin and everything felt right. “Does yours do that?” 

“More like my whole body gets warm and everything calms down.” Dan pressed his head into Kyle’s chest and closed his eyes. “Unless you panic and then it makes me panic.” 

“What did it feel like when you made me feel like the earth stopped moving only for us?” Kyle kissed the top of Dan’s head and closed his eyes as he leaned his head down on top of Dan’s soft hair. 

“Powerful.” Dan let out a soft sigh. He was slipping into sleep and his mouth was very loose. “Blessed because it was you. And wanting to do it again.” 

“Dan, I love you.” Kyle whispered into the dark. Dan’s was breathing against the cotton of his shirt and was likely asleep already but Kyle wanted him to know. 

“I feel that.” Dan’s voice was low and soft. So quiet that he almost didn’t hear himself. But, he felt Kyle squeeze him tighter to his chest so maybe Kyle had heard it.


	14. Chapter 14

“They knew the call time, right?” Their manager asked as she looked up from her mobile. In her other hand was a large coffee. 

It was early and everyone looked ragged, but they needed to leave in approximately ten minutes or they were going to be late. 

“Yup. Both of them.” Woody nodded his head once as he opened his eyes. He was leaning against a pillar in the lobby of the hotel, attempting to get at least a few more minutes of sleep before they were whisked away to the vehicle. 

“Reminded them as we parted ways last night.” Will confirmed from his seat on a chair that looked quite posh but was hard as cement. He was leaning forward with his forearms on his knees to avoid touching his back against what looked like hard decorative spikes lining the back of the chair. It was the most ridiculous thing Will had ever seen. 

If they ever made it big, Will was going to order two of them and put it in his flat. That way guests would know that they were welcome to pop in but not stay. 

“Someone go get them.” Their manager looked between Woody and Will. “Please, before we are late and lose the free spot they offered us.” 

“I’ll go.” Both Woody and Will said at the same time. 

Both were curious as to what was taking the pair so long to come downstairs. 

They both had an idea, but both of them wanted to be the ones to prove it as well. 

Woody pushed against Will’s arm as they both raced off the lift to their door. The push gave Woody a two second lead and he was the one that got to knock loudly on the door. He was a fully grown man, but he giddily stuck his tongue out at Will to rub it in that he reached the door first. 

“Too slow old man.” Woody raised his hand to knock again and knocked harder this time. It was early and he didn’t want to risk awaking the surrounding guests, but they also had a tight schedule to keep. 

“Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if say...we had a key?” Will asked with a smirk as he produced the spare key card to their room. Dan had left it at the desk the night before and Will took it because it was always nice to have a backup key. For say, people that tended to be late. “Oh, look at that? This old man has the key.” 

“Whatever, open the door.” Woody took a step back to allow Will access to the key reader on the door. 

It clicked loudly and both of them stood looking at the light that went from red, to green, and back to red without anyone doing anything. 

“Why didn’t you push it?” Woody raised his voice and his hand as he pointed toward the door. Just in case Will did not understand what he meant. 

“I opened it, why didn’t you push it?” Will countered and gave Woody a smug look as he raised up the key. “I cannot do everything ‘round here. I have the key. At least you could do was-” 

“Fuck off.” Woody took the key quickly out of Will’s hand and popped the door before pushing it with his shoulder. They didn’t have time for banter. “There, I did something. You can rest now old man.” 

Will shoved Woody from behind as he walked into the room with him. Woody brushed him off. 

Seeing the pair sleeping on the bed, literally wrapped up into one another, Woody stopped and had Will crash into him from behind. 

“What-” Will got out before Woody was shushing him. Peeking his head over Woody’s shoulder, he found Kyle and Dan wrapped up into each other on the bed. “Oh.” 

“They look happy.” Woody’s voice went soft and he felt his heart tug. He knew that Kyle and Dan were together. As much as they likely thought they were hiding it from everyone, everyone literally knew. Well, maybe not their manager yet. 

From the looks of them sleeping with their arms wrapped around one another and Kyle snoring into the mess of Dan’s hair, she was likely going to know soon. 

“Fuck, they do.” Will made his voice rise to a level he normally reserved for babies. Or any little creatures. “Take a photo. Quick, before they wake up and get cross at us.” 

Woody was already reaching for his mobile when Will’s high pitch voice alerted him to the photo opportunity. He debated taking a photo or making a video before snapping the photo. 

Woody’s mobile made a loud shutter sound as it captured the quaint pair of lovers in front of them. Yet even that sound did not wake them from their slumber. 

“You think they are alright?” Will asked, walking to the other side of the bed. There was evidence of many tiny bottles left on the nightstand. His eyes stayed on both of their bodies and he found they were breathing. “Too many spirits before bed?” 

“I dunno.” Woody shrugged his shoulders. A vision of their manager storming up to the room flashed through his head and he knew they would need to wake them up before she did. “We better get at it.” 

“Go on then, you wake ‘em.” Will smirked again as he leaned against the window’s edge. Crossing his arms against his chest, he raised his chin to Woody. “You know, with me being all old and such. Might break a hip.” 

“Did you forget your tiara today?” Woody smirked back and then ignored the choice finger Will gave him in response. 

Leaning over the pair, Woody used his hand to shake at Dan’s shoulder. 

That only made Dan let out a pitiful sound and snuggle in closer to Kyle’s chest. 

He got a similar response when he attempted to shake Kyle’s shoulder as well. 

“Oh, fucking hell.” Will pushed off the window’s edge and pulled off the covers as he shouted with his most powerful voice. “WAKE THE FUCK UP!” 

“Wha?” Dan startled as he felt a mixture of cold and his ears ringing in his head. Maybe they had a little too many of the mini bottles with their chicken. 

“Bleeding cockroaches!” Kyle raised himself up so he was sitting on the bed and Dan’s hand fell out of his joggers. Raising his fists, he allowed his eyes to adjust and his heart rate to settle. “What the hell?” 

“We are late.” Will let the covers fall to the floor and ignored Woody’s cackling laughter filling the room. “Get up and dress. Or wear that. Whatever, but get your sugar sweet selves downstairs in a minute flat or you will see a very cross woman with very little coffee in her system.” 

Dan groaned as he curled up on the bed, attempting to hide his head behind Kyle’s bum. Which, given the situation, not the best place to attempt to hide. 

Definitely too many mini bottles before bed. 

Woody was still laughing as the door shut behind Will and him as they left. 

Kyle rubbed his face and then reached to pull Dan up by his upper arm. “Wakey, wakey.” 

“My head.” Dan held the side of his head as he settled into the warm spot near Kyle. “Your head?” 

“A bit.” Kyle kissed the top of Dan’s head and then quickly moved out of the bed, pulling Dan along with him. “We might not have to worry about that little issue soon if we don’t get downstairs. Find our shoes and I will find us jackets. What we are wearing is good enough for local telly.” 

Dan slipped on his shoes and tossed Kyle’s in his direction before taking the offered jacket. His head was pounding and he wanted to go back to bed. 

Kyle zipped up his jacket and took Dan’s hand to lead him out of the room. Maybe once they started walking, they would wake up more and their heads would stop pounding. 

In the lift going down, Kyle ignored a woman with a small dog clenched to her chest. Apparently, Dan close to falling back asleep against his shoulder was too scandalous for a Saturday morning lift ride. Like she wasn't going to bag up excrement from her pampered dog with a fancy collar. 

Dan winced as the bright lights of the lobby hit his eyes. Their manager looked particularly displeased with them so he ignored the pain and straightened to his full height. 

Kyle stood a bit taller as he passed by their manager. He almost dropped Dan’s hand as the lift opened and they were greeted by the full effect of a woman on the verge of shouting. Dan squeezed his hand tighter so Kyle kept it right where it was and increased his smile as they walked into the bright sunshine of the day. 

The local telly hosts were quite excited to have the band and brushed off the multiple apologizes given for their tardiness. 

Kyle and Dan both looked haggard throughout the interview, but the excitement of the hosts was enough to boost up their energy level as well. 

Will even gave the hosts a smile as they said their good-byes. 

“A break for breakfast and then a radio spot at nine.” Their manager looked over their schedule as they entered the vehicle again. It was a mid-size van and barely fit all of them. Thus why Kyle was practically sat on Dan’s lap in the far back row. “I would advise a coffee and something to eat for the pair in the back. Radio likes to video stream nowadays and you both look like the dead mouse my cat brought me as a gift before we left for the airport.” 

“Late night.” Dan offered as he shifted Kyle’s bum off his thigh and almost into Will’s lap. “We will wake up soon enough.” 

“Practically pros recovering from a late night.” Kyle shifted back closer to Dan because Will was giving him a look that he didn’t like. “Uni did that for us. Better than any education taught in the lecture halls.” 

Woody snorted as he sent the photo to Kyle and Dan. 

Dan reached for his mobile and opened it to find a photo of him and Kyle taken in bed. 

Smiling to the device, he ignored Kyle’s bony bum poking into his thigh. 

And Will’s stern voice telling Kyle to shove over. 

And Woody’s attempts to talk their manager into giving him a single room at the hotel. 

This life was nothing what he had imagined for himself. 

At times he felt guilty because it seemed like he was living someone else’s dream. People would beg, steal, and borrow to be in the position he was in in the back of a too small van in a foreign country. He had no idea what he did to deserve this life. 

And, better yet, the love of the man in the photo with him. 

“What is that?” Kyle shoved back in Will’s general direction and ignored the slap on his arm he received back. “Is that us?” 

Dan turned the mobile so Kyle could see the photo better and he felt that ping in his heart again. Only, this time, it drowned out all the noise in the van. “Look at that. We are a cute lot, aren’t we?” 

“You look at home in my bed.” Dan gave him a smile as he turned off the screen. “No longer a visitor.” 

“It is only your bed because you are afraid of some random murder picking our hotel room out of the multiple other ones to get their blood lust on.” Kyle turned so his back was toward Will and his full focus was on Dan. “Maybe you are no longer a visitor in my bed.” 

Dan pushed against Kyle’s chest but without any force. Kyle captured his hand and kept it there, right over his heart. Dan could feel Kyle’s heart beating against his hand and he leaned his head forward. “Either way, it is our bed now.” 

“Beds, really.” Kyle smiled as Dan’s head leaned against his own briefly before moving back. Likely due to being around so many other people. “Think of all the beds we will get to cuddle in.” 

“Not if this is our last gig.” Dan shook his head. “It could all go away tomorrow. People will not care about us for long.” 

“Rubbish.” Kyle shook his head back. “Face it Dan, you are going to have to talk me through many, many plane rides.” 

“You said you were never flying again.” Dan knew he was flirting with an audience, but he didn’t care at the moment. “We were going to start a life here.” 

“The chicken is good, but I’m not sold on being so far away from my family.” Kyle flirted right back. Ignoring the dramatic sigh behind him. “And, we have gigs booked. Already made the lovely lady cross by being late to this telly gig. Imagine a whole tour?” 

“You are right.” Dan nodded his head and felt the vehicle jerk to a stop. 

Their manager was giving them strict instructions to be back in the vehicle in thirty minutes. Her eyes locked on Dan and then Kyle as she said that they would leave in thirty minutes with or without all the current members in the vehicle. Anyone left behind would need to find their own way to the radio station. 

“Get you a coffee?” Kyle followed Will out of the vehicle as he directed his question to their manager still sat in the vehicle. She had a stack of papers in front of her that seemed important. 

“All I need is your asses in this van in twenty nine minutes.” She dismissed them away by uncapping her pen and making marks on the papers in front of her. 

“Better hurry.” Dan pulled on Kyle’s arm and they started walking toward the restaurant in front of them. “I am not finding our own way to the radio station.” 

“Good thing you have me. Regular GPS in this head.” Kyle opened the door for them and waited for Dan to walk through. “I’m great on land.” 

“You are great anywhere.” Dan smiled as he walked into the restaurant. Kyle followed him in closely behind and raised two fingers to the man asking them a question in the native language. 

“What about in bed?” Kyle continued to follow Dan as the man led them to a table. 

“That is to be determined.” Dan smiled at the man that sat them and opened the menu offered to them. It wasn’t in a language he knew and there were no English translations next to the items. Finding Kyle looking at his own menu across from him, Dan kicked his foot and opened his menu on the table. “Hey, close your eyes and pick something.” 

“What if I already know what I want?” Kyle smiled as he kicked back at Dan’s foot. 

“If you say me, I’m going to make you sleep in your own bed.” Dan kept his foot close to Kyle’s to show him he wasn’t serious. 

“Well, then.” Kyle closed his eyes and circled his finger above the menu three times before pointing it forward at Dan. “I pick you.” 

“Now you have to sleep in your own bed.” Dan shook his head as he flirted back. “Not a wise choice.” 

“My bed is your bed.” Kyle smiled and pointed to something random on the menu. His heart was pinging loudly in his chest. “Our bed. I win.” 

Dan felt the warmth go through him, but before he could tell him he loved him, there was a woman asking what they would like to order. At least that is what Dan hoped she asked because he pointed to something on the menu and raised two fingers. 

As she walked away writing down their order onto a pad, Kyle kicked Dan’s foot again. “That wasn’t what I pointed at.” 

“Do you even know what you pointed at?” Dan countered as he rubbed his foot against Kyle’s and closed the menu in front of him. “Maybe it wasn’t what you thought you wanted, but it was what you were supposed to have?” 

“You getting deep on me?” Kyle leaned his chin on his hands and smiled at Dan. This between them was unexpected but maybe it was what Dan had just said. Meant to happen. Kyle wasn't sure if this music thing was going to take off, but he knew he found the person he was meant to be with in whatever journey his life would take him. “Writing a song about me?” 

“Fuck off.” Dan laughed at the look Kyle was giving him. God, he was lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, another story coming to its end. 
> 
> Thank you all for your lovely words and encouragement. 
> 
> I am going to disappear for a bit, but I will be back. 
> 
> Stay safe and be smart!


End file.
